Chinese state-backed newspaper has again criticized the White House as the war of words between Washington, D.C. and Beijing over the coro...
Chinese state-backed newspaper has again criticized the White House as the war of words between Washington, D.C. and Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Global Times—which is backed by the Chinese Communist Party and owned by the People's Daily newspaper, which is the CCP's official publication—published a scathing editorial attacking the U.S. response to COVID-19 as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1 million on Tuesday.
The article suggested that the infection toll, now at 1,012,583 with 58,355 deaths as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University and as illustrated in the below Statista infographic, shows the U.S. is "no superpower."
"The U.S. government has failed its people and also failed the world," Global Times wrote.
Also on Wednesday, Global Times editor Hu Xijin attacked President Donald Trump on Twitter. Hu cited the president's claim that the U.S. number is so high because the nation's "Testing is sooo much better than any other country in the World." Hu said the comment showed Trump "feels no guilt" about the suffering of Americans.
Global Times suggested that the situation has gotten so bad in the U.S. "because they are in too much despair to fight." China and its state media outlets have repeatedly maligned the U.S. response to the pandemic, framing Trump's administration as incompetent.
"The number of infections and deaths will continue to rise," the newspaper predicted, noting that the poorest Americans are most at risk. "A super power shouldn't lead the virus fight in this way," the editorial read. "It's time for the U.S. to wake up."
Chinese media and officials have repeatedly indulged in coronavirus conspiracy
theories and disinformation, for example suggesting that the U.S. Army was to blame
for the initial outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. This week, the foreign ministry suggested that the White House was "hiding something" about its coronavirus response, providing no evidence to support the assertion.
theories and disinformation, for example suggesting that the U.S. Army was to blame
for the initial outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. This week, the foreign ministry suggested that the White House was "hiding something" about its coronavirus response, providing no evidence to support the assertion.
Trump and key allies including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have placed the blame for the pandemic squarely at Beijing's door. They and other Western officials have cast doubt on China's reported infection and death statistics, while accusing Beijing of trying to cover up the initial outbreak and failing to adequately warn the international community.
Trump and Pompeo have also suggested that the virus may have escaped from a research laboratory in Wuhan, a theory being considered by U.S. intelligence agencies, as revealed by Newsweek.
Wednesday's Global Times editorial argued that U.S. politicians are trying to duck responsibility and score political points during the pandemic. Nationwide stay-at-home orders have been met with anger by some politicians and voters, with cautious governors coming under fire for perceived overreach.
Global Times called on the U.S. government to admit its mishandling of the crisis and work with the international community to address the pandemic. The Trump administration has also turned its ire on the World Health Organization, accusing it of facilitating China's alleged cover-up and threatening to withdraw funding for the United Nations body. China is among a host of nations that criticized the threat.
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