1/ I have nothing more than an anecdotal sense of the anti-African acts reportedly occurring in Guangzhou right now. I do think that China will be poorly served if it leans on its traditional public diplomacy/propaganda traditions.

2/ Those call for making little public acknowledgement of the true extent of the problem, the use of stock, wooden expressions, such as "all weather friendships," and "win-win relations," and blaming any trouble on the malicious meddling of other powers. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=china+africa+propaganda+slogans&id=9B13737805F97633C39EAC367FD99B23D0E56E75&FORM=IQFRBA

3/ Far better would be to get out ahead of the problem by saying to the Chinese public that anti-foreign, and in this instance, anti-African hostility is intolerable and beneath us. To promise to uphold the law and provide equal protection to all.

4/ While explaining to the public that China's ties with Africa are as valuable for China as they are for Africans, and must be nourished and safeguarded for that reason, not out of blind charity or even great generosity.

5/ This would require swimming against powerful currents, though. There is little tradition in Chinese diplomacy (or indeed in most great power diplomacy) of admitting fault.

6/ Secondly, acknowledging how important Africa is to China undermines a flattering narrative of somewhat paternalist munificence that has been useful to habituating the public to China's changing place in the world as a great power which involves great change and some sacrifice.