MFA Spokesperson’s Remarks on Issues Related to Covid-19

Peeking  April 10 2020 

Vyjádření mluvčích MZV ČLR k obvinění Číně za šíření koronaviru a k mezinárodní spolupráci proti Covid-19, MZV ČLR:  

1. Bloomberg News: We are wondering if you had any comment on President Trump’s decision to stop using the term „Chinese virus“ ?

Geng Shuang: China has made clear its stance on the origin of the virus. We firmly oppose stigmatization on China. This stance has not changed.

The virus knows no borders and ethnicity. It can only be defeated by the concerted efforts of all mankind. COVID-19 has taken footholds and is rapidly spreading in many parts of the world. We hope that the US will work with China and the larger international community to jointly fight against the pandemic and safeguard the global public health security. (March 25, 2020)

2. China Review News: Some officials in a handful of countries including the US have been trying to blame China for the pandemic outbreak, accusing China of covering up the actual caseload of the infected and disseminating disinformation on COVID-19. They also said that they will reckon with China after the pandemic passes. What is your response?

Hua Chunying: At present, COVID-19 is ravaging across the world, especially in Europe and the US. People of all countries have called for unity to fight the pandemic, but still some people have made jarring noises from time to time, quite discordant with the current atmosphere of unity against the pandemic. I want to stress a few points.

As the coronavirus is novel virus unseen in the past, its detection, research, testing and confirmation naturally requires time. According to reports, on December 27, 2019, Zhang Jixian, director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care at Hubei Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, reported the first three suspected cases. On December 29, Hubei and Wuhan health committees instructed related centers for disease control and prevention and hospitals to carry out epidemiological investigation. On December 30 Wuhan Municipal Health Committee issued an „urgent notice on the treatment of pneumonia of unknown cause“. On December 31, the NHC sent an expert group to Wuhan to investigate on site. On January 3, 2020, China started to send timely updates to WHO and other countries, including the US. On January 11, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention put online five whole genome sequences of the novel coronavirus and shared data with the world and WHO. On January 23, Wuhan was put under lockdown and unprecedented comprehensive, thorough and rigorous measures were taken. The Chinese government took decisive and strong measures at the earliest time possible and the Chinese people have been united as one in this fight against the pandemic, which ensured the life, safety and health of the Chinese people to the highest extent.

WHO estimates that the decisive, effective and timely measures taken by the Chinese government prevented the infection of tens of thousands of people. Many countries also think China’s practice offers explicable precedence. Our open, transparent and responsible attitude has been highly acclaimed by the international community.

We have no intention to judge other countries‘ response to the pandemic. But while China set an example and bought precious time for the world with huge efforts and sacrifice, as WHO, foreign leaders, experts and media say, did a certain country make full use of the time to enhance preparedness? I think its government knows that very well, and its people can feel it too.

Since January 3 China has been notifying the US of epidemic-related information on a regular basis. On January 7, the US CDC and its embassy in China issued warnings on traveling to Wuhan. On January 25, the US announced the decision to close its consulate in Wuhan and withdraw all staff. On February 2, the US government banned entry of all Chinese nationals and foreigners who had been to China in the past 14 days. Now so many days have passed, and some in the US still claim China should be held responsible for the COVID-19 in the US. Don’t they feel guilty or ashamed? They are trying to shift the biggest blame of the century to China and make it the biggest scapegoat. However, such an attempt is just impossible as the blame is too heavy to be shifted. Sorry, it won’t work.

The pandemic is in some way like a magical mirror that exposes a person’s morality and character to the fullest extent. The virus knows no ideology, border or race. The destinies of all countries are closely intertwined. No one can make up for lost time by slandering others or shifting the blame. The only way to defeat the virus is through solidarity and cooperation.

At the G20 virtual summit last week, President Xi put forward propositions on overcoming the difficulties hand in hand. Upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China would like to share our experience on COVID-19, conduct international cooperation, and provide as much help as we can to countries in need. That is what we say and what we do. We hope certain individuals will, like the CPC and the Chinese government, put people’s life, health and safety first, abandon political bias and arrogance, and focus on international cooperation in pandemic response. (March 31, 2020)

3. Global Times: The Spectator USA published an article on its website on April 5, saying that China is making Italy buy coronavirus supplies that it had donated to Beijing earlier. However, an Italian journalist found it was fake news after investigation. The author of the article put forward the claim that „China forced Italy to buy its medical donation back“ based on hearsay and unverifiable third-hand information. What’s your comment on that?

Zhao Lijian: China and Italy are friends and important cooperative partners. During the difficult time of China’s fight against COVID-19, Italy supported China in various means. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Italy, we have been closely following the situation there and providing assistance to the Italian side as our capacity allows. In addition to the assistance from the Chinese government, our localities, enterprises and people also donated a large number of urgently needed epidemic prevention materials such as masks, protective suits, ventilators and test reagents to Italy. Meanwhile, we also coordinated efforts to facilitate Italy’s purchase of medical supplies from China at its request. Three groups of Chinese medical experts were sent to Italy to share our experience and practices. China’s practice demonstrates what it means to be a friend in need. We sincerely hope Italy can bring the epidemic under control and ensure people’s health is protected at an early date. Rumor-mongering and wedge-driving practices will only sabotage the cooperation against the pandemic, which is inhumane and immoral. (Arpil.7, 2020)

4. CCTV: Nearly 100 former government officials and experts in the US issued a statement calling for China-US anti-epidemic cooperation, which they claim has won bipartisan support. The statement also identified China’s problems such as its initial cover-up, its continuing lack of transparency, and its failure to cooperate fully with the US and international medical authorities. I wonder if you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: We noted this statement. Former government officials and experts in the US are calling for cooperation between China and the US in an effort to combat the COVID-19, which they believe is very important for preventing its further spreading. This is consistent with the rational voices coming from people with vision in China, the US and the larger international community. We applaud and welcome that.

The virus knows no borders or races. It is a common challenge that can only be addressed by concerted international efforts. Upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China will continue strengthening cooperation with all countries including the US and contributing to global public health. President Xi and President Trump recently had two phone calls and reached important consensus on bilateral cooperation in anti-pandemic response. Health authorities and experts of both sides have been in close contact and held video conferences. Chinese localities, companies and civil groups have been donating medical supplies to the US to support their people. We are also helping the US government and businesses purchase Chinese supplies. Pharmaceutical companies and scientists of both sides are in contact and cooperation with each other on the R&D of vaccines and medicine.

That said, some contents that you mentioned in this statement, like China’s initial cover-up and lack of transparency, are completely untrue. China has been open, transparent and responsible since the COVID-19 first broke out. We notified the WHO of the epidemic, shared the genome sequencing of the virus, carried out international cooperation and helped other countries affected, all at the earliest time possible. These are plain, internationally recognized facts, which cannot be denied or erased by anyone.

The fight against COVID-19 could serve as a platform for China-US cooperation. Just as President Xi said to President Trump in a recent phone conversation, both sides stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Cooperation is the only right choice. We hope the US will work with China toward the same goal, follow the leaders‘ consensus, enhance anti-epidemic cooperation, develop China-US relations featuring no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and deliver greater benefits to people in China, the US and beyond. (April 8, 2020)

Dopis 100 čínských odborníků občanům Spojených států, the Diplomat

thediplomat.com/2020/04/an-open-letter-to-the-people-of-the-united-states-from-100-chinese-scholars/