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> China says this is a possibility that the virus naturally originated from the US. Huge difference from "planting". This claim is based on DNA research of the

> China says this is a possibility that the virus naturally originated from the US. Huge difference from "planting". This claim is based on DNA research of the virus Their theory doesn't hold : if the virus first started in the US there should have been loads of cases of "flu", hospitals flooded with patients etc like we saw in China and see in Europe now. In absolute this virus is not that deadly (what's a few thousand more deaths for a country ?), what makes it so problematic is the massive number of people needing intensive care for up to a month. I think the Chinese are trying to counter the bad propaganda they're receiving from the West so that they're not held accountable for it in the eyes of the rest of the world.

cameldrv 7y ago
I hear this line a lot "Countering bad propaganda", but I don't see the bad propaganda anywhere. For example, it is extremely seldom mentioned in the U.S. media that the virus emerged at a location very close to a lab that was researching hybridized SARS viruses, and the true origin of the virus is still unknown. It is known that the origin was not the seafood market. Yet, on the other side, you have high level Chinese government officials spreading completely unfounded theories that the virus originated in the U.S., and threatening to withhold pharmaceuticals unless the U.S. apologizes to and thanks China. Honestly I think that this strategy will backfire for China. If the Chinese government continues to act this aggressively, it will stir up absolute rage in the minds of the American public against China, where now there is virtually none.
- FooBarWidget 7y ago
  I also think the "virus originated from US" is far-fetched given the available evidence (though I still think "virus didn't originate in China" is at least still plausible -- and even important to research for the sake of public health). However, you're saying that the US media "seldomly" mentions that the virus originated close to the Wuhan virus lab? I see the "virus escaped from Wuhan lab" speculation being thrown on the US social media all over the place. There's even a senator that spared no effort to spread this "news". I'm absolutely not saying that the Chinese speculation of the virus originating from the US is any better. But let's not pretend that the US is the "better man" here.
- DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
  > Yet, on the other side, you have high level Chinese government officials spreading completely unfounded theories that the virus originated in the U.S. I see very prominent American political figures giving interviews on national Cable news channels spreading the theory about the virus escaping from a Chinese lab. > If the Chinese government continues to act this aggressively, it will stir up absolute rage in the minds of the American public against China, where now there is virtually none. Most of the messaging the Chinese government puts out, especially in English, could not in any way be characterized as "aggressive." They've been putting out some interesting documentaries about the fight against the epidemic in Wuhan, as well as feel-good reports about the aid they're sending to foreign countries. I do see a lot of "aggressive" American rhetoric going in the other direction, however. Case in point: the way that high-ranking members of the Trump administration insist on referring to CoVID-19 as a "Chinese virus." Beyond that, there's been a crazy amount of anti-Chinese sentiment stirred up in the US, ever since the beginning of the trade war.
  - cameldrv 7y ago
    There was an official statement that said that they could cut off pharmaceuticals and "Let America drown in the sea of Coronavirus." Seeing that statement changed my opinion of China.
    - FooBarWidget 7y ago
      I am curious about the exact statement. Do you have a link?
      - cameldrv 7y ago
        http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-03/04/c_1125660473.htm http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-03/04/c_1125660473.htm
        FooBarWidget 7y ago
        Thanks for the link. The statement is prepended by a big “if” though, and is not a declaration of something that will definitely happen. “If we refuse to give medication to the US then they will drown in a sea of coronavirus”. The statement is also preceded by complaints about how the US has been unfairly attacking China during the virus crisis. I understand that you are not happy about this “threat”, or even this “potential of retaliation”. My opinion though is that the US is not altogether innocent in this. It would be best for everyone if this trade war and this “maximum pressure on China” policy ends.
- dirtyid 7y ago
  Keep in mind this is China clapping back at senior US administrations forwarding the Wuhan bioweapon theory and Pompeo insisting on referring to the virus as the "Wuhan / Chinese" virus in public statements. This is a dangerous (though not random) escalation. New generations of Chinese diplomats is embracing Trumpian style of propaganda, it's is a large deviation from their traditional messaging. People keep conveniently ignoring that the current US administration set the tenor for the Chinese confrontation and other diplomatic relationships. They'll condemn the lies, tone and disrespect when current admin deals with allies, but embrace it when it comes to China - and are surprised that like US allies, China will eventually assert themselves. At the end of the day, US sentiments is determined by US propaganda, China was never going to win Americans over. This display is for domestic Chinese audiences and seed doubt in other countries. E: I don't agree with the new direction, but it's something different and not entirely unexpected after 4 years of aggressive US propaganda, things will only get worse unless Pompeo and Trump deescalates. Politiburo has ran out of patience like many US allies, except China is large enough that they can afford to speak their mind and retaliate rhetoric in kind. Keep in mind TPP and Pivot to Asia under Obama was explicitly designed to target China, but anti-Chinese sentiments and nationalism (on both sides) never got out of hand until Trump decided to weaponize it.

cameldrv 7y ago

I hear this line a lot "Countering bad propaganda", but I don't see the bad propaganda anywhere. For example, it is extremely seldom mentioned in the U.S. media that the virus emerged at a location very close to a lab that was researching hybridized SARS viruses, and the true origin of the virus is still unknown. It is known that the origin was not the seafood market. Yet, on the other side, you have high level Chinese government officials spreading completely unfounded theories that the virus originated in the U.S., and threatening to withhold pharmaceuticals unless the U.S. apologizes to and thanks China. Honestly I think that this strategy will backfire for China. If the Chinese government continues to act this aggressively, it will stir up absolute rage in the minds of the American public against China, where now there is virtually none.

FooBarWidget 7y ago
I also think the "virus originated from US" is far-fetched given the available evidence (though I still think "virus didn't originate in China" is at least still plausible -- and even important to research for the sake of public health). However, you're saying that the US media "seldomly" mentions that the virus originated close to the Wuhan virus lab? I see the "virus escaped from Wuhan lab" speculation being thrown on the US social media all over the place. There's even a senator that spared no effort to spread this "news". I'm absolutely not saying that the Chinese speculation of the virus originating from the US is any better. But let's not pretend that the US is the "better man" here.
DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
> Yet, on the other side, you have high level Chinese government officials spreading completely unfounded theories that the virus originated in the U.S. I see very prominent American political figures giving interviews on national Cable news channels spreading the theory about the virus escaping from a Chinese lab. > If the Chinese government continues to act this aggressively, it will stir up absolute rage in the minds of the American public against China, where now there is virtually none. Most of the messaging the Chinese government puts out, especially in English, could not in any way be characterized as "aggressive." They've been putting out some interesting documentaries about the fight against the epidemic in Wuhan, as well as feel-good reports about the aid they're sending to foreign countries. I do see a lot of "aggressive" American rhetoric going in the other direction, however. Case in point: the way that high-ranking members of the Trump administration insist on referring to CoVID-19 as a "Chinese virus." Beyond that, there's been a crazy amount of anti-Chinese sentiment stirred up in the US, ever since the beginning of the trade war.
- cameldrv 7y ago
  There was an official statement that said that they could cut off pharmaceuticals and "Let America drown in the sea of Coronavirus." Seeing that statement changed my opinion of China.
  - FooBarWidget 7y ago
    I am curious about the exact statement. Do you have a link?
    - cameldrv 7y ago
      http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-03/04/c_1125660473.htm http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-03/04/c_1125660473.htm
      - FooBarWidget 7y ago
        Thanks for the link. The statement is prepended by a big “if” though, and is not a declaration of something that will definitely happen. “If we refuse to give medication to the US then they will drown in a sea of coronavirus”. The statement is also preceded by complaints about how the US has been unfairly attacking China during the virus crisis. I understand that you are not happy about this “threat”, or even this “potential of retaliation”. My opinion though is that the US is not altogether innocent in this. It would be best for everyone if this trade war and this “maximum pressure on China” policy ends.
dirtyid 7y ago
Keep in mind this is China clapping back at senior US administrations forwarding the Wuhan bioweapon theory and Pompeo insisting on referring to the virus as the "Wuhan / Chinese" virus in public statements. This is a dangerous (though not random) escalation. New generations of Chinese diplomats is embracing Trumpian style of propaganda, it's is a large deviation from their traditional messaging. People keep conveniently ignoring that the current US administration set the tenor for the Chinese confrontation and other diplomatic relationships. They'll condemn the lies, tone and disrespect when current admin deals with allies, but embrace it when it comes to China - and are surprised that like US allies, China will eventually assert themselves. At the end of the day, US sentiments is determined by US propaganda, China was never going to win Americans over. This display is for domestic Chinese audiences and seed doubt in other countries. E: I don't agree with the new direction, but it's something different and not entirely unexpected after 4 years of aggressive US propaganda, things will only get worse unless Pompeo and Trump deescalates. Politiburo has ran out of patience like many US allies, except China is large enough that they can afford to speak their mind and retaliate rhetoric in kind. Keep in mind TPP and Pivot to Asia under Obama was explicitly designed to target China, but anti-Chinese sentiments and nationalism (on both sides) never got out of hand until Trump decided to weaponize it.