07:55

Some Britons in China have been in touch with the Guardian to say they have no plans to leave the country any time soon.



Sharon Moan, a chemistry teacher who lives with her husband and two children in Shanghai, said she is baffled by the foreign office’s advice.

“Life here is very calm. We have few restrictions and feel that everything the local government has put in place is for everybody’s benefit. We actually only began to panic when we read Western media news reports that do not reflect what is happening here. We don’t feel it’s necessary and many of our colleagues feel the same.

“We feel unsupported by the consulate as there is no clear explanation as to why they have made this announcement. This is our home and the foreign office hasn’t actually given us a good reason to leave it. We have no plans to leave and will carry on regardless.”

Dr Rob Burton, a 65-year-old academic living in a state of self-quarantine in Hangzhou with his Chinese wife, said he is under no illusion that she would be allowed entry to the UK.

“I have a life here and my semester at the Communication University of Zhejiang is due to start on 24 February. I feel that the attitude by the foreign office towards British nationals who are married to foreign spouses is toxic. I’m not going to say goodbye to my wife and leave her stranded on her own. Who would do that? It would actually be easier for me to get my English dog, Snooky, and Chinese cat, Fluffy Bum (named in honour of Spike Milligan), home than it would my wife.

“I was actually in Wuhan in November so have had a few weeks of wondering if I have been infected. We have been inside for 15 days now and have only been to the supermarket twice. It becomes a psychological test as you become more stir crazy as the rumours mount up. That said, there is a huge effort going on by ordinary Chinese people which I don’t see much about in the foreign press.”