Xinhua Commentary: Wrong, wrong, and wrong again -- Some Western media's unprincipled criticism of China's COVID policy（新華評論：錯、錯、還是錯——看看一些西方媒體對中國抗疫的“無原則批評”）
Xinhua Commentary: Wrong, wrong, and wrong again -- Some Western media's unprincipled criticism of China's COVID policy
BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The only thing that remains constant is change itself -- The consensus of philosophers in both the East and West sounds especially wise and relevant in today's world that is full of change due to COVID-19.
Based on the facts that the pathogenicity of the current Omicron strain weakens, the vaccination rate nationwide rises and China continues to accumulate experience in containing the epidemic, the country has recently optimized and adjusted its anti-COVID measures to respond to the needs of the people and facilitate the orderly recovery of normal production and life.
This is a continuation of the rationale of the Chinese government, which has always been proactive in its understanding of changes and response to them -- prioritizing people and their lives, respecting science, and seeking truth from facts.
But unsurprisingly, some biased Western media outlets have been continuing their criticism and accusations aimed at China's latest move, as they have been doing since the COVID outbreak. They tried to use all kinds of reasoning and models to prove that China's "optimizing" at this time -- in their words, "a U-turn" -- is another mistake. They claimed China's decision was based "on impulse" and was made "with no preparation," which "risks 1 million COVID deaths in 'winter wave'." They argued it would "cause economic disruption" and "push up global inflation," posing risks to the whole world.
Ironically, over the past years, almost the same rhetoric was deployed by these media when throwing stones at China's proactive prevention and control measures to fight the epidemic.
Some had foretold that strict COVID restrictions would "bring an economic toll" to the world's second-largest economy, while others had smeared China's scientific epidemic responses as they would "exacerbate disruptions in the global supply chain," "intensify global inflation concerns," and "rattle global markets."
In May this year, an article published by Fortune quoted an expert as saying that China's strict COVID policy would result in "disruption to economic activity." This month, however, it was the same author who questioned China's adjustment of its COVID response, claiming the "inevitable COVID outbreak" to follow will likely "cause further economic disruption." The author's self-contradiction invites only ridicule.
To these biased journalists, strict prevention and control measures are wrong. Adjustments and optimizations are also wrong. So one wonders what is right in terms of their thinking? Maybe for them, nothing is right. The "only constant" is their blind criticism of China's COVID policies.
In a sense, such criticism stemming from these media is no longer based on science and facts, but is a habit and even an addiction -- just like a lollipop is to a five-year-old. Misleading reporting on China to the world, based on such a mindset of "unprincipled criticism," will only lead to misunderstanding, estrangement and even hatred.
The reason for their constant criticism is the entrenched arrogance and prejudice of some Western media outlets. To them, no matter whether it is the anti-epidemic approach, or a development or governance model, as long as it is "different," it is wrong and bad.
Facts and figures speak loudly. The COVID-19 death toll in the Chinese mainland stands at less than 5,300, while the number in the United States has long passed the tragic milestone of 1 million. From 2019 to 2021, the average life expectancy of the United States declined an appalling 2.7 years because of its "lying flat" approach towards the virus, while China has overtaken the U.S. in terms of life expectancy during this period.
It has been clearly demonstrated that China has effectively juggled its COVID response with its economic and social development. China's steadfast approach gained time to help it better understand COVID, to research and develop vaccines and therapeutics, as well as to boost vaccination levels.
A government that has saved millions of lives and safeguarded people's health should not be misconstrued and discredited.
In the past three years, China has equipped itself with technologies and drugs that are proven to be effective in COVID diagnosis and treatment, and also made continuous progress in pathogen detection and epidemiological investigations. Over 90 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated thanks to China's unceasing efforts in vaccine research and development, while people's health awareness has also been greatly enhanced.
These aggregated factors have laid a solid foundation for the current epidemic prevention and control work, and provided the precondition for further optimizations.
It is worth noting that China's fine-tuning of its COVID policy is proactive rather than passive. While advancing the latest optimization plan, China does not shy away from acknowledging the challenges, and is determined to ramp up vaccination efforts among the elderly and increase the capacity of intensive care units (ICU).
Different countries have different national conditions in terms of medical resources and demographic situations, and differ in sociocultural orientation. As the world stands at a crossroads and humanity is faced with COVID-19 as a common enemy, we need to focus on mutual understanding and cooperation, and must let go of ego and bias.? Enditem
新華評論：錯、錯、還是錯——看看一些西方媒體對中國抗疫的“無原則批評”
新華社北京12月10日電 “唯一不變的是變化本身”——這是東西方哲人的共識。在今天這個因新冠疫情而充滿著變化的世界，這句話聽起來更加睿智、貼切。
基于奧密克戎毒株致病力下降、全國范圍疫苗接種更加普及和防控經(jīng)驗日益豐富等現(xiàn)實狀況，中國近來不斷優(yōu)化調整其防疫措施，回應民眾需求，推動人民正常生產(chǎn)生活有序恢復。
這是主動識變應變的中國政府一貫秉持的理念與邏輯的延續(xù)：堅持人民至上、生命至上，尊重科學、實事求是。
但不出所料的是，一些戴有色眼鏡的美西方媒體繼續(xù)對中國防疫指手畫腳，試圖用種種推理和模型來證明“優(yōu)化調整”，即他們口中所謂的“急轉彎”，是又一個錯誤。它們指責中國的決策是“沖動草率的”并且是“毫無準備的”，這“或導致100萬人死于新冠‘冬季浪潮’”。它們認為這一決策將“擾亂中國經(jīng)濟”并“推高全球通脹水平”，進而危害世界。
頗為諷刺的是，過去幾年來它們批評中國采取嚴格防控措施來積極戰(zhàn)“疫”時，操弄的幾乎是同一套詞匯與話術。
當中國采取嚴格的科學的疫情防控措施時，它們曾預言世界第二大經(jīng)濟體將“付出沉重代價”，曾指責中國會“擾亂世界供應鏈”“加劇全球通脹”“讓全球市場感到緊張”……
今年5月，美國《財富》雜志一篇文章曾引用專家觀點，質疑中國嚴格的防疫政策“干擾經(jīng)濟活動”；本月，中國優(yōu)化調整防疫措施，同一名作者再次撰文，聲稱此舉將導致“不可避免的疫情暴發(fā)”，會“進一步造成經(jīng)濟混亂”。如此自相矛盾，只能落得個貽笑大方。
嚴格防控不行，優(yōu)化調整也不行，試問這些充滿偏見的記者先生，怎么才行？實踐證明，在這些帶著偏見的西方媒體眼里，恐怕怎么都不行，“唯一不變的”就是閉上眼睛的指責。
在某種意義上，這些對中國的批判、否定早已不再是基于科學與事實，而已是一種習慣，甚至已經(jīng)成癮——就如一個五歲孩子對棒棒糖的依戀。以這樣的“無原則批評”來觀察中國并向世界報道，只會導致誤解、隔閡甚至是仇恨。
持續(xù)批評的背后是美西方一些媒體根深蒂固的傲慢與偏見：不論是抗疫方案還是發(fā)展或治理模式，只要“與我不同”，就是不對、不好。
讓我們用數(shù)據(jù)和事實說話。目前，中國大陸新冠導致的死亡人數(shù)不到5300。相較之下，美國早已超百萬的死亡人數(shù)讓人觸目驚心。疫情暴發(fā)后的幾年里，美國“躺平”抗疫，導致人均預期壽命駭人地縮短2.7歲。同期，中國的人均預期壽命則超過了美國。
這充分證明，中國高效統(tǒng)籌疫情防控和經(jīng)濟社會發(fā)展，中國的疫情防控政策也為科學認識疫情、研發(fā)疫苗藥物、提高全民疫苗接種率爭取了寶貴時間。
一個拯救了數(shù)百萬生命、守護人民生命健康的政府不應被如此誤讀與抹黑。
三年來，中國開發(fā)了有效的診療技術和藥物應對新冠，病原檢測、流行病學調查等能力持續(xù)提升，疫苗研發(fā)取得積極進展，全人群疫苗完全接種率超九成，群眾的健康素養(yǎng)明顯提升。
這些綜合性因素為當前的防控工作奠定了堅實基礎，也是進一步優(yōu)化調整防控措施的必要條件。
需要指出的是，中國調整防疫政策是“主動優(yōu)化”而非“被動放開”。在提出最新優(yōu)化方案的同時，中國也不回避挑戰(zhàn)，下決心提高老年人疫苗接種率和加強建設重癥監(jiān)護單元等。
各國國情各異，醫(yī)療資源、人口結構、社會文化取向都不盡相同。當世界又站在歷史的十字路口，當人類面對疫情這個共同的敵人，我們需要的是理解與合作，而非傲慢與偏見。
