Coronavirus: China's Global Intimidation Campaign

The European Union Self-Censors to Appease China

by Soeren Kern
April 28, 2020 at 5:00 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/15943/coronavirus-china-intimidation

Translations of this item:

Chinese envoys have been especially aggressive on Twitter, which they are using to attack, intimidate and silence Western journalists, lawmakers and think tank scholars — essentially anyone who contradicts China's official version of events.
Under pressure from Chinese officials, Esther Osorio, a communications adviser to Josep Borrell, the head of the EU diplomatic service, personally intervened to delay the release of the initial report. The EU was reportedly hoping to get better treatment for European companies in China. On April 25, however, the South China Morning Post, which also obtained a copy of the original report, revealed that Beijing had threatened to withhold medical supplies from Europe if the section on China was not removed.
On April 15, Germany's most popular newspaper, Bild, published an article titled, "What China Owes Us So Far," which suggested that China should pay Germany €150 billion ($162 billion) in reparations for the coronavirus pandemic. The article included an itemized list of economic damage, including €50 billion for losses to small businesses and €24 billion for lost tourism.
"You rule by surveillance. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country." — Julian Reichelt, editor-in-chief of Bild, "You Are Endangering the Entire World," addressed directly to President Xi Jinping.

The European Union has caved in to pressure from China and has watered down a report on Chinese efforts to deflect blame for the coronavirus pandemic. Officials in Beijing reportedly threatened to block the export of medical supplies to Europe if the report was published in its original form. Pictured: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at EU headquarters in Brussels, on December 17, 2019. (Photo by John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)

The revelations come as Chinese diplomats around the world are waging an aggressive disinformation campaign — described as a "Wolf Warrior" style of diplomacy, named after a Chinese nationalist action film series — aimed at controlling the narrative about the origins of the coronavirus.

Chinese envoys have been especially aggressive on Twitter, which they are using to attack, intimidate and silence Western journalists, lawmakers and think tank scholars — essentially anyone who contradicts China's official version of events.

Over the past year, more than 60 Chinese diplomats and diplomatic missions set up Twitter or Facebook accounts, according to the Reuters news agency, even though both platforms are banned in China, and have been using them to attack Beijing's critics around the world.

On April 21, the Brussels-based news outlet Politico Europe reported that it had received an advance copy of an EU report about Chinese and Russian disinformation activities related to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The report, which the EU was planning to publish that same day, included the following paragraph:

"China has continued to run a global disinformation campaign to deflect blame for the outbreak of the pandemic and improve its international image. Both overt and covert tactics have been observed."

Chinese officials quickly contacted the European Union's representatives in Beijing to try to kill the report, according to the New York Times, which also received an original version of it.

The EU's External Action Service eventually published the report — Covid-19 Disinformation — on April 24 but the language on China was heavily toned-down. The New York Times explained:

"The original report cited Beijing's efforts to curtail mentions of the virus's origins in China, in part by blaming the United States for spreading the disease internationally. It noted that Beijing had criticized France as slow to respond to the pandemic and had pushed false accusations that French politicians used racist slurs against the head of the World Health Organization....

"But China moved quickly to block the document's release, and the European Union pulled back. The report had been on the verge of publication, until senior officials ordered revisions to soften the language....

"The sentence about China's 'global disinformation' campaign was removed, as was any mention of the dispute between China and France. Other language was toned down...."

Under pressure from Chinese officials, Esther Osorio, a communications adviser to Josep Borrell, the head of the EU diplomatic service, personally intervened to delay the release of the initial report. The New York Times wrote:

"Ms. Osorio, the aide to Mr. Borrell, asked analysts to revise the document to focus less explicitly on China and Russia to avoid accusations of bias, according to an email and interviews. She asked analysts to differentiate between pushing disinformation and aggressively pushing a narrative, and to document each 'as we already see heavy pushback from CN' — an abbreviation for China."

The EU was reportedly hoping to get better treatment for European companies in China. On April 25, however, the South China Morning Post, which also obtained a copy of the original report, revealed that Beijing had threatened to withhold medical supplies from Europe if the section on China was not removed.

The Indian geopolitical analyst Brahma Chellaney summed up the broader implications of the EU's actions:

"EU self-censors its report after pressure from China. Diluting its report, EU removed references to China's pandemic-related 'disinformation campaign.' EU remains a weak link in building a concert of democracies against China's muscular authoritarianism."

Meanwhile, Chinese diplomats around the world, led by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, have been lashing out at governments and individuals they feel have insulted China. Some analysts say this reflects China's growing influence in international affairs. "China wants other countries to know who's boss," wrote China watcher Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian.

Other analysts argue that China's intransigence reflects the fragility of the Chinese Communist Party and that Chinese President Xi Jinping is fueling nationalism to consolidate his control amid growing domestic anger over his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis. "All governments worry how they'll survive this plague, but for a one-party authoritarian government, the fears are existential," noted Kevin Libin, columnist and managing editor of Canada's National Post.

In any event, Chinese pressure tactics have worked in some instances — including with the European Union and the Philippines. With others, China's bullying has backfired spectacularly.

On April 15, Germany's most popular newspaper, Bild, published an article titled, "What China Owes Us So Far," which suggested that China should pay Germany €150 billion ($162 billion) in reparations for the coronavirus pandemic. The article included an itemized list of economic damage, including €50 billion for losses to small businesses and €24 billion for lost tourism.

The Chinese Embassy in Berlin responded by accusing Bild of racism. In a letter, embassy spokesperson Tao Lili wrote:

"Your report not only lacks essential facts and precise timelines, but also a minimum of journalistic due diligence and fairness. Those who do as you did with today's newspaper article fuel nationalism, prejudice, xenophobia and animosity against China. It does not do justice to the traditional friendship between our two peoples or a serious understanding of journalism. Against this background, I ask myself, where in your editorial office does the dislike of our people and our state come from?"

Rather than being cowed into submission, Bild's editor-in-chief, Julian Reichelt, countered with his own letter: "You Are Endangering the Entire World." It was published in German and English and addressed directly to President Xi Jinping. Reichelt wrote:

"You rule by surveillance. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country.

"You shut down every newspaper and website that is critical of your rule, but not the stalls where bat soup is sold. You are not only monitoring your people, you are endangering them — and with them, the rest of the world.

"Surveillance is a denial of freedom. And a nation that is not free, is not creative. A nation that is not innovative, does not invent anything. This is why you have made your country the world champion in intellectual property theft.

"China enriches itself with the inventions of others, instead of inventing on its own. The reason China does not innovate and invent is that you don't let the young people in your country think freely. China's greatest export hit (that nobody wanted to have, but which has nevertheless gone around the world) is Corona....

"You have created an inscrutable, non-transparent China. Before Corona, China was known as a surveillance state. Now, China is known as a surveillance state that infected the world with a deadly disease. That is your political legacy.

"Your embassy tells me that I am not living up to the 'traditional friendship of our peoples.' I suppose you consider it a great 'friendship' when you now generously send masks around the world. This isn't friendship, I would call it imperialism hidden behind a smile — a Trojan Horse.

"You plan to strengthen China through a plague that you exported. You will not succeed. Corona will be your political end, sooner or later."

Other recent examples of efforts by Chinese diplomats to intimidate and silence those abroad who challenge the Chinese government include:

Australia

On April 23, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison called on all countries that are members of the World Health Organization (WHO) to support an independent inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic. He said that all members of the WHO should be obliged to participate in a review and added that Australia would push for the inquiry during the WHO Assembly on May 17.

China's foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, replied: "The so-called independent inquiry proposed by Australia is in reality political manipulation. We advise Australia to give up its ideological prejudices."

Brazil

China's Ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming, shared a tweet, later deleted, calling the family of President Jair Bolsonaro a "huge poison" after his son Eduardo blamed the "Chinese dictatorship" for the coronavirus pandemic. The tweet drew a rebuke from Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo, who said the tweet was inappropriate behavior for an ambassador.

Canada

On April 19, the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa denounced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), a leading Canadian think tank, after it published an open letter accusing Chinese authorities of covering up the pandemic. The Chinese Embassy wrote:

"Recently, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute published the so-called open letter, falsely claimed that the roots of the pandemic are in a cover-up by China, carried out malicious slander and attacks on the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. The Chinese side expresses its firm opposition over such actions by the MLI.... We urge the MLI to abide by the professional ethics, focus on the work a think tank is supposed to do, refrain from politicizing the research work, and give up anti-China nonsense."

A scholar at the MLI, Kaveh Shahrooz, tweeted:

"The Chinese embassy in Canada has issued a statement attacking the @MLInstitute, where I serve as a Senior Fellow. We are a thorn in the side of the governments like those of China, Iran, and Russia. I am immensely proud of this fact."

Another MLI scholar, Shuvaloy Majumdar, tweeted:

"I would like to congratulate the PRC Embassy-Ottawa for helping draw more scrutiny to the Communist Party's intimidation of its own people, and its continued abuse abroad."

The Canadian government has remained silent on the issue. Charles Burton, a senior fellow and China expert at the MLI, said that Ottawa's silence will only embolden Beijing to make further attempts to stifle free speech in Canada:

"One would expect that the government of Canada would engage with the Chinese embassy about such a statement. It's clearly an attempt to interfere with freedom of expression by a Canadian think tank and make allegations against the think tank that are clearly without basis whatsoever."

On April 19, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney tweeted:

"Shocked to learn that my longtime friend Martin Lee, founder of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, was arrested today together with many of #HongKong's most prominent citizens. Martin is the elder statesman of Hong Kong democracy. I hope for his immediate release."

The Chinese Consulate General in Calgary responded:

"The Premier of Alberta commented on Twitter on the lawful arrest of an anti-China rioter by the Hong Kong police. No one stays out of the law. Ignoring the facts and openly advocating for the rioters can only undermine the rule of law, which is not in Canada's own interests. We urge local politicians to abide by the basic norms governing international relations, respect the Hong Kong SAR law enforcement, and immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs."

Kenney replied:

"I acknowledge that Alberta doesn't have a foreign policy and I don't freelance in foreign policy, but I'll just say this — when a personal friend of mine is arrested as a political prisoner, I cannot in good conscience remain silent."

When China regained sovereignty over Hong Kong from the British in 1997, Beijing agreed to allow Hong Kong to enjoy its freedoms until 2047, in an arrangement known as "one country, two systems."

On April 14, The Globe and Mail, the most widely-read newspaper in Canada, published an opinion article titled, "The Chinese Communist Party's Culture of Corruption and Repression has Cost Lives around the World." The article accused the CCP of concealing, destroying, falsifying, fabricating, suppressing, misrepresenting information about the epidemic; of silencing and criminalizing dissent; and of disappearing whistleblowers, "all of which reflect the breadth of criminality and corruption in the party." The article called on the international community to hold Chinese authorities accountable for their roles in creating "one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history."

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa replied that the article was "full of hatred and prejudice" against the Communist Party of China (CPC):

"How could anyone speak of such a thing as accountability? The 'political virus' of stigma is more dangerous than the disease itself. Those who try to ascribe so-called 'criminality' to the CPC are viewing China with ideological prejudice, and the 'political motive' behind that is doubtful.

"We advise those persons to focus on their domestic epidemic prevention and control efforts. To shift blames won't help mitigate the epidemic at home, nor will it help the international cooperation in prevention and control of the pandemic."

On April 1, The Globe and Mail published an opinion article, "Why Would We Trust China's Official COVID-19 Numbers?" It asked:

"The Chinese government's first instinct has always been to hide the facts, especially if they reveal its own failures, so why would anyone believe the data coming out of China now on COVID-19? .... The Communist government owes its very legitimacy to persuading Chinese citizens that it does a better job than democratically elected administrations in protecting their interests. To that end, it has long inflated the country's economic growth statistics and underreported its greenhouse-gas emissions. Why would anyone expect it to be straight about its own COVID-19 epidemic?"

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa replied:

"The article views that the United States is a democratic state and China is a country led by the Communist government, leading to a ridiculous conclusion that the data of the U.S. is more transparent than that of China.... This is a naked double standard. We urge The Globe and Mail to abandon prejudice, respect facts, and stop making irresponsible remarks against China's efforts to fight against COVID-19."

France

On April 14, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian summoned the Chinese Ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, to express his disagreement with certain recent remarks by Chinese representatives in France as part of the coronavirus pandemic. "Some recent public statements by representatives of the Chinese Embassy in France do not conform to the quality of the bilateral relationship between our two countries," he said.

In a series of recent media statements, Lu accused "a certain French press" of besmirching China's image by means of "lies" about its role in the current coronavirus pandemic. These media — which he never named but which seem, in his view, to represent the entire French press — have "mocked China" in violation of "all media ethics and the most elementary good faith" with an approach which, in Lu's words, "borders on paranoia."

Speaking on the cable TV channel Mandarin TV on March 15, Lu accused the media of using "propaganda" methods to "brainwash" the public. In statements posted on the embassy website on February 14 and 29, he condemned the "irresponsible" comments and "absurdities" being said in the French media about China.

The secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Christophe Deloire said:

"This 'lesson in journalism' for the French press is inappropriate coming from a representative of the People's Republic of China, a country that is ranked 177th out of 180 countries in RSF's World Press Freedom Index and is one of the world's biggest jailers of journalists. Beijing's censorship of the Chinese media had a very negative impact by delaying the regime's response at the outset of the coronavirus epidemic."

RSF added in a press release:

"The ambassador's statements reflect a policy concerted at the highest level of the Chinese government that aims to control international media coverage, as RSF demonstrated in a report entitled 'China's Pursuit of a New World Media Order' in 2019."

Germany

On April 12, the newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported that it had received leaked documents from the German Foreign Ministry which revealed that Chinese officials had directly contacted officials and employees at several federal ministries and asked them to "express themselves positively" about China's management of the coronavirus crisis. Chinese officials also "engaged decision-makers from the political environment including lobbyists" to use them "for Chinese interests in Germany to promote the political agenda of the Communist Party." The Chinese Embassy in Berlin responded by accusing Welt am Sonntag of being "keen to slander and smear" China. "All kinds of stigmatization of China should be stopped."

India

The Chinese Ambassador to India, Ji Rong, has repeatedly lashed out at Indian officials and media outlets. On April 8, he tweeted:

"So-called complaint by certain Indian organizations to UNHRC asking China compensate for losses caused by #COVID19 is ridiculous & eyeball-catching nonsense. At this difficult time, we need to work together instead of stigmatizing others & shifting blame."

On April 10, Ji tweeted:

"It is regrettable some Indian media published articles referring #COVID19 again as 'WuhanVirus','ChineseVirus'. It is clear consensus by international community that a virus should not be linked to any specific country, region or ethnic group. Such stigmatization is unacceptable."

Philippines

On March 29, the Department of Health apologized for comments it made a day earlier that two batches of coronavirus test kits provided by China were substandard. Undersecretary for Health Maria Rosario Vergeire had said that kits made by Chinese manufacturers BGI Group and Sansure Biotech were only 40% accurate in diagnosing Covid-19 and that some of them would have to be discarded. The Chinese Embassy in Manila tweeted:

"The Chinese Embassy firmly rejects any irresponsible remarks and any attempts to undermine our cooperation in this regard."

Sweden

On January 18, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde summoned the Chinese Ambassador to Sweden, Gui Congyou, after compared Swedish media coverage of China to a lightweight boxer who "provokes a feud" with a heavyweight. Congyou, who has become well-known for his outspoken attacks, told the state broadcaster SVT that the "frequent vicious attacks on the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government by some Swedish media" were comparable to a 48kg light featherweight boxer taking on a fighter almost twice his size:

"The 86kg boxer, out of good will to protect the lightweight boxer, advises him to leave and mind his own business, but the latter refuses to listen, and even breaks into the home of the heavyweight boxer. What choice do you expect the heavyweight boxer to have?"

Utgivarna, a group which represents Sweden's private and public sector media, in a statement said:

"Time and again, China's ambassador Gui Congyou has tried to undermine the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression under the Swedish constitution with false statements and threats. It is unacceptable that the world's largest dictatorship is trying to prevent free and independent journalism in a democracy like Sweden. These repeated attacks must cease immediately."

Venezuela

On March 18, the Chinese Embassy in Venezuela posted an angry "declaration" consisting of 17 tweets after unidentified Venezuelan lawmakers referred to the coronavirus as the "Chinese Coronavirus" or the "Wuhan Coronavirus." The Chinese Embassy said the lawmakers were afflicted with a "political virus" and recommended they "seek treatment." A first step, it tweeted, would be for them to "put on a mask and shut up."

Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute.

© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Related Topics: China, Coronavirus, Threats to Free Speech

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Comment on this item

26 Reader Comments

Ramki • May 2, 2020 at 08:35

China for years has never been transparent about most things for e.g. Xingjian or Tibet. It is no surprise about this epidemic as well as it has misled not only the World but its own people too. Dr Li, a physician and a whistleblower at Wuhan – the epicenter of the now global infectious Coronavirus succumbed to the illness. He incurred the wrath of Chinese authorities by challenging China's initial narrative that all was well under the control. According to recent reports, the Chinese government has disallowed all news and reports on the origins of the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact. Until China comes clean about the true extent of this epidemic, all media reports should put an asterisk to any figures or claims. China does not welcome contrary narratives. In the past it has censured the Dalai Lama, used Rare Earth elements as an economic weapon or questioned the world on South China Sea.

Recently the European Union was expected to issue statements compatible with China's views. China's "soft power" tactics will in the long run boomerang because coercion works both ways. One positive outcome of the present epidemic -the World has realised that it is risky to rely on a single source supply chain. Towards this end some of the largest economies like the United States, Japan and the European Union, are drawing up separate plans to lure their companies out of China. That's good news for the world

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Bazz • May 2, 2020 at 03:43

The people of other countries must understand what is their position relative to the Central Kingdom. They are not sovereign states but are vassals of the Central Kingdom.
If they want to prosper they should bear that in mind.

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Richard

Bazz • May 4, 2020 at 15:46

The world has found out just how ugly the Chinese communist government is and nobody is buying the "Central Kingdom" garbage. China will eventually have a revolution and put the likes of Xi and his vampires to the guillotine soon enough.

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Peter Fieldman • Apr 30, 2020 at 09:42

China risks being a big loser if it doesn't accept some, if not all, the responsibility for the virus. There will be less visitors, if it does not refund the money paid for the faulty medical material, governments should reduce Chinese imports across the board. In any event, there will be a return to local manufacturing, which again will harm China as manufacturer to the world. And Chinese visitors can also be restricted. Another possible reaction is a control over Chinese communities across the world to check who is legal or illegal and deport all illegal people. China should think twice before using its propaganda machine against the rest of the world.

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marco sanches • Apr 29, 2020 at 22:05

Until proven otherwise, what we are witnessing is a terrorist attack against the West on an unprecedented scale.

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Naomi Be • Apr 29, 2020 at 03:06

and here is another "Bully" threat to Australia issued two days ago by

"...China's foreign ministry (Mr Cheng) threats to Australia:
"Maybe the ordinary people will say 'Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?" Cheng said in the interview published on the front page of The Australian Financial Review.
Cheng said it was possible that tourists may have "second thoughts" about visiting Australia.
"The parents of the students would also think ... whether this is the best place to send their kids," he added."
(Reuthers)

I would ask China to pack their bags and leave - In the long run we'll be better of without the bullies!

BTW Koudos to the Editor f the German Bild! well said and it is a pleasure to see that there is still media doing a proper job with GUTS!!

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Yvonne • Apr 28, 2020 at 21:17

Very interesting article and just shows you what the Chinese government is doing to its own people. Now they are into blackmailing Australia and other countries; not good language which in the end will be their downfall.

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marco sanches • Apr 28, 2020 at 19:24

Ronald Reagan said to the Soviet Union "Tear down this wall", we can say "Tear down this firewall." Let's cut what connects us in everything to China!

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Bisley • Apr 28, 2020 at 15:47

The political leadership in Europe (and most of the rest of the world) are cowardly, corrupt and stupid. Unless they're willing to come under the rule of a worldwide Chinese empire, now is the time to invest in other sources of production, in friendly countries, for whatever necessary products they're getting from China. If China is allowed to get by with its threats and intimidation, it will continue to do so until it becomes the defacto ruler of everyone reliant on Chinese manufacturing, investment, etc.

China needs to be isolated, embargoed, and deprived of the wealth from trade that makes it a power in the world. China is at war with the western world, and the west is financing their war by making China the workshop of the world. The Europeans are stupidest of all in the hope of somehow getting a better deal for European companies in China by submitting to Chinese demands and helping to spread their lies. They've done nothing but display their weakness, which will lead to ever more and greater demands.

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Logan James

Bisley • Apr 30, 2020 at 07:18

I would only add: the 'business elites' and investors that have short-sighted greed to locate their businesses and buy from this dictatorship. With the right political leadership, however, put pressure on corporations to withdraw investment in the Communist dictatorship and bring manufacturing/jobs back to the West where they originated. International corporations have failed us just as much as the political elites.

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Bisley

Logan James • Apr 30, 2020 at 12:27

It's not so much that businesses are short-sighted and greedy (though many are), but that they must compete to survive. Consumers have a limited amount of money to work with, and aren't going to pay any more for a product than they must -- which means that producers must seek the lowest cost of production available to keep their competitors from underselling them and putting them out of business. Sourcing products from China is a matter of economic survival as long as the option exists to import goods from China at a lower cost than from any other place.

Voluntary boycotts and such can't resolve this problem. Unless governments impose ever-increasing tariffs, restrictions, standards, etc. on (and eventually embargo) all Chinese imports, businesses have no alternative other than to have their products manufactured in China, if they intend to stay in business. Only government action can remove the option of buying from China, and force businesses to buy, or manufacture their products in more friendly countries. They aren't going to commit economic suicide by going to higher cost production when their competitors can undersell them by using Chinese production.

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Michelle Wayne

Logan James • May 1, 2020 at 00:45

The world was looking for cheap products, made in China, mostly useless, cheap-labor China manufacturing and got Corona Virus as a thank you gift. Was it worth it???

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Om Prakash Sharma • Apr 28, 2020 at 14:06

It will continue bullying as it has been doing all through its existence. China should be removed from UN Security Council.

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Alex Baldor • Apr 28, 2020 at 11:40

I don't understand why democratic countries don't expel Chinese diplomats that try strong arm the media to publish false information and cover up the culpability of China's rulers in turning the Wuhan virus outbreak into a world wide pandemic.

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Odo Saunders • Apr 28, 2020 at 11:39

What a shoddy and irresponsible organisation the E.U. has become, particularly in its refusal to act as a democratic control over totalitarian regimes such as China and Iran. Is there any hope left for the West?

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Rafael Aguilo • Apr 28, 2020 at 11:22

Me thinks the "House of Cards" may be faltering. A bad miscalculation by China?

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David Bligh • Apr 28, 2020 at 09:17

Unfortunately, we don't yet have the technology to produce a virus that attacks only Chinese Communists.

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KDS Durr • Apr 28, 2020 at 09:13

Liberty is under attack in the fog of the Covid gas.
I am surprised that Russia is not more critical of her neighbour.

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Dr. Gilbert • Apr 28, 2020 at 07:56

China's attack in the US and the rest of the world only confirms what intelligent people know. This is just the beginning of its wold government goal. It has friends in high places in the US and the U.K., acting on its behalf!

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Raj • Apr 28, 2020 at 06:47

While the world was distracted with the corona virus, China rounded up the so called agitators in Hong Kong. Do they really think that the international community hasn't noticed? Gives new meaning to the term 'Chinese take away' when people suddenly disappear without a trace never to be heard from again. The Chinese state within a state where no one can never, not ever escape!

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Maj Gen Raj Shivrain • Apr 28, 2020 at 06:30

There is no doubt that there is something fishy about the Chinese approach to the whole Wuhan Virus. If they have made a mistake they should simply say sorry and that it was an inadvertent error. The world will respect that. To keep telling lies and hiding behind false propaganda will only harm them.

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Gabor Ujvari • Apr 28, 2020 at 05:51

Twitter and Facebook are banned by the Chinese communists, except when they need it to spread communist propaganda and intimidation. What a monumental hypocrisy!
The Chinese communists deny all medical, legal, financial and moral responsibility for the China virus. What a monumental hypocrisy!
The Chinese communists interfere with internal matters of Western countries and some Western politicians caved in to them. What a disgrace!

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Bastardo • Apr 28, 2020 at 05:43

Made in China -> Global, total boycott.
Where will they go with their poisonous plastic toys?

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Pappagena

Bastardo • Apr 28, 2020 at 18:26

Yes! A global war on national economies can be met with global boycotts. Every individual can contribute by non-buying quarantines.

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Meg Martel

Pappagena • Apr 29, 2020 at 02:59

Say NO to anything made in China. This is difficult I know (as just about everything in K-Mart, DJs, Bunnings etc.) is imported from there. Hit them where it hurts. Our leaders need to kick them out of the UN (& affiliated bodies) and the WTO also.

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brian • Apr 28, 2020 at 05:37

What an informative article. There is no doubt Chinese aggression is much more severe than ever, both against the democratic media & their own people.
The CCP is so opaque now, one can see through every lie & contorted piece of information they give out, & their buying up of large stocks of medical stock, & then reselling it at huge profits is just disgraceful. I am all for taking the Chinese government to the international courts & claiming for the billions they have cost the world by their irresponsible behaviour, let alone the misery inflicted on the world.

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