China revised the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths on April 17. Later US President Donald Trump tweeted, China has just announced a doubling in the number of their deaths from the Invisible Enemy. It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close!

 

Mr. Trump’s groundless assumption is once again an attempt to smear China’s great efforts in combating the epidemic and the great achievements that China has made.

 

Contrary to the allegations, China has timely informed the World Health Organization about the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province, in accordance with the provisions of the International Health Regulations. The recent revision shows China’s respect for the deceased as well as for data transparency.

 

The  unjustified assumption is perhaps another way for some US officials to divert people’s attention. Confirmed cases in the US have exceeded 700,000, making the US the country with the biggest number of COVID-19 cases.

 

The Washington Post has published an article to record US’ responses during the 70 days after receiving China’s alert about the disease on January 3. It points out the US government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made a series of mistakes, leading to the squandering of the best chance to stop wide spread of the virus.

 

President Trump scapegoated many countries on many aspects with the aim to divert American people’s attention from failures of the US government, according to the Associated Press (AP). Actually, President Trump praised China for several times in February. After the US suffered from the disease, his attitude shifted.

 

It has been widely recognized that China has made great efforts in controlling the disease in a short time, and the Chinese people have sacrificed a lot to safeguard public health. Is it really so hard for some US politicians to agree on it? Politicalizing the epidemic reveals some people’s arrogance and ideological prejudice.

 

Virus knows no boundary and is the common enemy of all human beings. Smearing and buck-passing does no good for the control of the epidemic.

 

We are standing at a critical juncture in the fight against the novel coronavirus which needs international cooperation and unity, not confrontation. It is a time to join hands to fight against the true enemy: the virus.