The Chinese embassy in Nigeria has berated those demanding
compensation from the Asian country over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus was first recorded in Wuhan, China, and the
country has been accused of mismanaging the outbreak.
The embassy, in an article published in
The Guardian[1], took a jab at Oby
Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, who said the country
must “pay reparations to Africa for its coronavirus failures”.
Ezekwesili had written[2]: “The continent
must be accorded damages and liability compensation from China, the
rich and powerful country that failed to transparently and
effectively manage this global catastrophe.”
However, reacting on Sunday, Sun Saixiong, press secretary
of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, said Ezekwesili’s comments “make
no sense at all”.
Saixiong said China has taken”the most comprehensive, rigorous
and thorough measures” to contain the spread of the disease, and
has also “made tremendous sacrifices and made significant
contributions to the global response”.
“The virus is a common enemy to all mankind and may strike
anytime, anywhere. Like other countries, China is also a victim,
not a perpetrator, even less an accomplice of COVID-19,” he
added.
“In the face of major public health crises and infectious
diseases, the international community should stand in solidarity
and work together, not resort to mutual accusation or demand
retribution and accountability. As we recall, there has never been
any precedence of the latter.
“Did anyone ask the US to offer compensations for the 2009 H1N1
flu, which was first diagnosed before breaking out on a large scale
in the US and then spread to 214 countries and regions, killing
nearly 200,000 people?
“AIDS was first reported in the US in the 1980s and then swept
across the world, including Africa, causing untold sufferings to
countless victims. And we don’t remember Mrs. Ezekwesili coming
forward to ask the US to be held accountable?
“The financial turmoil in the US triggered by the collapse of
Lehman Brothers in 2008 turned into a global financial crisis. Did
anyone ask the US to take the consequences?”
The official said the world must understand that “our enemy is
the virus, not China” and it can only defeat COVID-19 by “pulling
together” not “attacking and discrediting others”.
“We hope that Mrs. Ezekwesili will respect facts, science, and
international consensus, stop letting herself dance to other’s
tune, stop attacking and blaming China for nothing, and stop making
irresponsible remarks,” he added.
Culled from TheCable
The Chinese embassy in Nigeria has berated those demanding
compensation from the Asian country over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus was first recorded in Wuhan, China, and the
country has been accused of mismanaging the outbreak.
The embassy, in an article published in
The Guardian[1], took a jab at Oby
Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, who said the country
must “pay reparations to Africa for its coronavirus failures”.
Ezekwesili had written[2]: “The continent
must be accorded damages and liability compensation from China, the
rich and powerful country that failed to transparently and
effectively manage this global catastrophe.”
However, reacting on Sunday, Sun Saixiong, press secretary
of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, said Ezekwesili’s comments “make
no sense at all”.
Saixiong said China has taken”the most comprehensive, rigorous
and thorough measures” to contain the spread of the disease, and
has also “made tremendous sacrifices and made significant
contributions to the global response”.
“The virus is a common enemy to all mankind and may strike
anytime, anywhere. Like other countries, China is also a victim,
not a perpetrator, even less an accomplice of COVID-19,” he
added.
“In the face of major public health crises and infectious
diseases, the international community should stand in solidarity
and work together, not resort to mutual accusation or demand
retribution and accountability. As we recall, there has never been
any precedence of the latter.
“Did anyone ask the US to offer compensations for the 2009 H1N1
flu, which was first diagnosed before breaking out on a large scale
in the US and then spread to 214 countries and regions, killing
nearly 200,000 people?
“AIDS was first reported in the US in the 1980s and then swept
across the world, including Africa, causing untold sufferings to
countless victims. And we don’t remember Mrs. Ezekwesili coming
forward to ask the US to be held accountable?
“The financial turmoil in the US triggered by the collapse of
Lehman Brothers in 2008 turned into a global financial crisis. Did
anyone ask the US to take the consequences?”
The official said the world must understand that “our enemy is
the virus, not China” and it can only defeat COVID-19 by “pulling
together” not “attacking and discrediting others”.
“We hope that Mrs. Ezekwesili will respect facts, science, and
international consensus, stop letting herself dance to other’s
tune, stop attacking and blaming China for nothing, and stop making
irresponsible remarks,” he added.
Culled from TheCable