Stigmatizing of China is just same old vinegar being sold as wine: China Daily editorial

The novel coronavirus pandemic has become a sort of reagent test kit showing whether a government has been infected by stigmatism that makes them put their own political interests above the well-being of their countries and peoples.

That's why we have seen two distinctively different approaches to address the global public health challenge, with some calling for international solidarity and focusing on offering what help they can to affected countries, while others, the United States being the prime example, have been trying to make China a scapegoat, so as to cover up their belated and ineffective responses to the emergency.

It is obvious that some diehard veteran China-bashers, like those US politicians who coined the term "Chinese virus", are taking advantage of the pandemic to stoke public panic and peddle their tired China threat. The pandemic is a new bottle for their old wine. Unfortunately, it is these people who are gaining a higher stage than scientists and medical professionals as their conspiracy theory directly serves the hidden agenda of their leaders, who desperately need a scapegoat for the public to vent their anger on.

By scratching each other's back, these two parties have reached a tacit understanding to let the political interests of a small group kidnap the public's interests.

It is the countries where such stigmatism has taken hold that have paid the price for this, 14 out of the 16 countries that have been worst-hit outside of China are Western countries where such views have been evident.

The bid to stigmatize China as the cause of their countries' woes has not only led to the governments of these countries wasting the time China has earned for them at tremendous cost to itself — but also, as its instigators expect, given rise to populism and racism, both destabilizing forces whose spillover effects on their societies will be hard to predict.

And, by openly labeling the virus as the "Chinese virus", the first leader of a major power to openly do so, US President Donald Trump has given official endorsement to the widespread discrimination that had been building up against Asians in the US and some European countries, which has encouraged some to verbally, even physically, attack Asians.

The first country to identify the outbreak of a virus is not necessarily the source of the virus. And China has done its utmost to contain the virus at home and to communicate and cooperate with countries and international organizations. It is because few countries heeded China's warnings, and even fewer responded with due resoluteness to prepare for the challenge that the virus has spread.

The attempts to stigmatize China should be rejected. Were it not for what the country has done — it has dramatically increased its funds, material and personnel assistance to the hard hit countries in Europe and Asia once its domestic situation showed signs of improvement — the situation the world faces today would have been much worse, or at least come much earlier.

Its contribution and sacrifice have been recognized by the majority of the international community, those trying to use the virus as another means to bash China will find few coverts to their cause.