After criticizing American officials for politicizing the pandemic, Chinese officials and news outlets have floated unfounded theories that the United States was the source of the virus .
- : It is an American disease that might have been introduced by members of the United States Army who visited Wuhan in October.
There is not a shred of evidence to support that, but the notion received an official endorsement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose spokesman accused American officials of not coming clean about what they know about the disease The intentional spreading of an unfounded conspiracy theory – which recirculated on China’s tightly controlled internet on Friday – punctuated a downward spiral in relations between the two countries that has been fueled by the basest instincts of officials on both sides.
The insinuation came in a series of posts on Twitter by Zhao Lijian, a ministry spokesman who has made good use of the platform, which is blocked in China, to push a newly aggressive, and hawkish, diplomatic strategy. It is most likely intended to deflect attention from China’s own missteps in the early weeks of the epidemic by sowing confusion or, at least , uncertainty at home and abroad.
that the epidemic began with the leak of a Chinese biological weapon.
on China’s handling of the AIDS epidemic, after a similar disinformation campaign. “This small cadre of high-volume Chinese officials don’t seem to realize that peddling conspiracy theories is totally self-defeating for China, at a moment when it wants to be seen as a positive contributor around the world.” the American government of supporting public protests in Hong Kong in an effort to weaken the party’s rule.
“If the leadership really believes in the culpability of the US government, ”he warned,“ it may behave in a way that dramatically worsens the bilateral relationship. ”
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has faced sharp criticism for the government initial handling of the outbreak, even at home. (Public anger erupted) in February when a doctor who was punished for warning his colleagues about the coronavirus died, prompting censors to redouble their efforts to stifle public criticism.
Chinese officials have repeatedly urged officials in other countries not to politicize what is a public health emergency. Conservatives in the United States, in particular, have latched on to loaded terms that have been criticized for stigmatizing the Chinese people. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to the “Wuhan virus,”
while Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, called it the “Chinese coronavirus.”
In response, Chinese officials and state news media have stepped up their criticism of American officials’ comments.
Only days before Mr. Zhao’s latest post, the Xinhua news agency published a commentary denouncing “Washington’s poisonous coronavirus politics” and warning that spreading rumors simply encouraged “fear, division and hate.”
- of cases and deaths, so there is no scientific reason to believe the virus began elsewhere. Mr. Zhao’s assertion began with a post linking to a video of the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert R. Redfield, testifying before the House on Wednesday and suggesting that some flu deaths might have been caused by the coronavirus.
, which were held in Wuhan in October. The Pentagon sent 40 teams with more than
athletes and other staff members to the event, well before any reported outbreaks. The Pentagon has had confirmed cases in South Korea and Italy and is bracing for more to emerge, But no illnesses have been tied to American service members from October. Mr. Zhao’s remarks were spread on China’s most prominent social media platform, Weibo, under a hashtag: #ZhaoLijianPostedFiveTweetsinaRowQuestioningAmerica. By late afternoon on Friday, that hashtag had been viewed more than 728 million times, along with screenshots of the original Twitter posts. The State Department summoned the Chinese ambassador on Friday to protest Mr. Zhao’s comments, officials in the Trump administration said.
at the regular briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, another spokesman, Geng Shuang, sidestepped three questions about whether Mr. Zhao’s suggestion had politicized the crisis and reflected official Chinese policy.
He instead noted the statements made by American officials and lawmakers to “smear and attack” China.
Updated March 24, - It is a novel virus named for the crownlike spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses
(How contagious is the virus?) It seems to (spread very easily) from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can travel through the air, enveloped in tiny respiratory droplets that are produced when a sick person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. (Where has the virus spread?) The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has sickened more than , in at least countries and more than 5, have died. The spread has slowed in China but is gaining speed in Europe and the United States . World Health Organization officials said the outbreak qualifies as a pandemic. (What symptoms should I look out for? - , include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Milder cases may resemble the flu or a bad cold, but people may be able to pass on the virus even before they develop symptoms.
(How do I keep myself and others safe?) (How can I prepare for a possible outbreak?) Keep a 59 – day supply of essential medicines. Get a flu shot. Have essential household items on hand. Have a support system in place for elderly family members. (What if I’m traveling? (The State Department) has issued a global Level 3 health advisory
telling United States citizens to “reconsider travel” to all countries because of the worldwide effects of the coronavirus. This is the department’s second-highest advisory. (How long will it take to develop a treatment or vaccine?) Several drugs are
being tested , and some initial findings are expected soon. A vaccine to stop the spread is still at least a year away.
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