Lew Rockwell recently in his powerful “War on China?” wrote that “People are understandably upset about the coronavirus epidemic, but if we’re not careful, an even greater danger lies ahead. Sinister forces in American political life are using the crisis to incite war with China and to stir up bad feelings towards the Chinese people. The Chinese people are in fact heroic. They are our friends, not our enemies. But the forces of evil want you to think otherwise.”
I don’t know if Washington would consider or China would be interested in providing medical protective gear and respirators to America, given recent statements by President Trump and Secretary of State Pompeo. But even if the Chinese government is “authoritarian,” certainly, as I and others have written recently, America too has an authoritarian bent as well.
As is documented both on China’s CGTN channel on YouTube, and on RT, both nations are helping, especially in the case of Serbia whose request for EU aid was refused. Today, as I write these words, is the anniversary of the NATO bombing campaign on Serbia. From the article:
“Twenty-one years ago, NATO, without obtaining permission to intervene from the United Nations, launched armed aggression against Serbia, thus crudely violating the UN Declaration, the Helsinki Accords, a number of other international conventions and its own act on the creation of NATO of 1949,” the statement runs. “It has been and will remain a crime against peace and humanity. The act of aggression, committed in alliance with the terrorist Kosovo Liberation Army, left an estimated 3,500-4,000 people dead and 12,500 others injured and caused tremendous economic damage. The use of depleted uranium rounds and other prohibited weapons was a long-term hazard to the people and the environment. NATO turned itself into an aggressive, interventionist alliance with an outspokenly expansionist policy targeting the East first and foremost.”
Therefore, I am not surprised that the EU refused Serbia’s request for assistance and China has been a major help, as these videos from CGTN show. This video posted on March 16th.
Serbia’s state of emergency: ‘China is the only country that can help’
This video also posted:
Serbian landmarks lit up red to salute China
“A number of landmarks in the Serbian capital were lit up in red on March 21 and 22 as a tribute to China. The local government used this gesture to thank the Chinese government for providing medical assistance and to pay tribute to the Chinese medical expert group.”
And this video was posted as well:
“Serbian president kisses Chinese national flag as support team arrives.”
“Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic greeted Chinese medics who arrived in Serbia on Saturday. He kissed the Chinese national flag in a show of gratitude for China’s timely support against the COVID-19 outbreak. Vucic said, ‘Though China hasn’t finished the fight against the coronavirus yet, they say they will help Serbia, like iron brothers. [The] Serbian people will never forget this kindness.”
CGTN also posted this video on March 24th:
China, Cuba and Russia send medical assistance to Italy
“International support for Italy has been ramping up. China, Cuba and Russia have sent medical assistance. Two Chinese teams have arrived in the country in the past two weeks. But the authorities are also urging the medical staff from across Italy to go to the worst-hit areas in the country’s north.”
This video posted on March 23rd:
Sharing common destiny: China, Cuba, Russia and local doctors join to fight pandemic in Italy
“Italy’s government issued an SOS for 300 doctors to help in the battle against the country’s severe coronavirus epidemic. Within 24 hours, the government had received 8,000 applications. China, Russia and Cuba also sent medical support to Italy.”
On March 22nd, CGTN posted this video on help given to the Czech Republic:
Chinese medical supplies arrive in Czech Republic
“A Chinese cargo plane landed in the Czech Republic late on Saturday loaded with medical supplies. Just over 1,000 cases have been confirmed in the Czech Republic so far. The plane flew from the city of Shenzhen in south China with 117 tons of equipment. It includes 2 million respirators, 5 million face masks, 80,000 protective goggles, 120,000 protective suits and tens of thousands of test kits. Two more flights are planned this month, one to the Czech Republic and one to neighboring Slovakia.”
From RT:
“Russian military transport planes which have been prepared to deliver help to Italy in its desperate fight against the Covid-19 infection have departed an air base near Moscow. The planes are carrying Russian military medics and specialists in infectious diseases, as well as equipment necessary for diagnostics and disinfection of the deadly coronavirus.”
RT America posted:
Vital Russian medical aid arrives in Italy
“Italy is in desperate need of help to fight the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Assistance has come in the form of more than ten Russian military transport planes filled with people and medical supplies. Italy has 63,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. RT America’s Alex Mihailovich has the story.”
Cuba, despite American sanctions, is also helping. Ruptly posted this video:
Italy: Cuban doctors and nurses arrive to help fight coronavirus
“A delegation of 37 Cuban doctors and 15 nurses arrived at Milan Malpensa airport on Sunday to offer a helping hand to the overloading Italian healthcare system which is currently buried under the weight of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Upon arrival, the delegation was greeted by Vice President of the Lombardy region Fabrizio Sala. ‘Thank you to the ambassador, thanks to the consulate, thanks to the Cuban government for this action that they have taken to help us,’ he stated outside the arrivals terminal.
“The delegation arrived in Lombardy, the epicentre of the Italian COVID-19 outbreak. The Cuban team of doctors and nurses will move on to offer a hand in the new hospital that is being built in Bergamo, the province most affected by the virus.
Cuban Ambassador to Italy Jose Carlos Rodriguez Ruiz was also at Malpensa to greet his fellow Cubans. ‘They are here to work alongside the good doctors and nurses of Italy that have been working everyday day to fight COVID. We will do it with all the humility, every one together with everything they have,’ he stated. ‘We are here with a brigade of 52 aid workers, doctors and nurses, who have experience in disaster situations.
” ‘They have been involved with Ebola in West Africa and some were in involved in other natural disasters such as earthquakes,’ said Carlos Ricardo Perez Diaz, one of the leading Cuban doctors in the team of arrivals.
“How long will we stay? The amount of time that the authorities believe we can offer help. We came with a clear idea that we are here to help and we will stay as long as is necessary,” Carlos went on to say.
Finally, CGTN posted this video on March 24th as well:
Beijing condemns U.S.’ s attempts to stigmatize China
“The Chinese Foreign Ministry has urged the United States to stop stigmatizing China over the outbreak. It comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to call COVID-19 ‘Wuhan virus’ despite clear World Health Organization guidelines, agreed to five years ago, not to do so.”
This video is about “Giuseppe Remuzzi, director of a renowned medical research institute in Italy, spoke in an interview with U.S.’s National Public Radio” that “the virus could be circulating in parts of Italy before people were aware of the outbreak in China.”
“Expert: Virus may have circulated in Italy before outbreak in China”
Potentially positive news is presented in this video:
“U.S. experts say traditional Chinese medicine shows promise in treating COVID-19”
“Scientists around the world have been working to find an effective treatment for COVID-19. Along with some anti-viral drugs, traditional Chinese medicine has also been used to treat coronavirus patient and the Chinese government is encouraging physicians to combine both approaches.”
On March 20th, CGTN posted this video:
China provides medical assistance to 82 countries
“As the entire world try to curb the spread of COVID-19, China says it is joining the efforts by sending aid to over 80 countries.”
The unanswerable question is if Washington had not been so hostile to China, would China have helped America by providing masks, gloves, protective gear, and ventilators to Americans in need? In contrast, Washington’s official response to several nations suffering from the disease is different from China’s, Cuba’s and Russia’s and described here by journalist Vanessa Beeley and let the reader decide which response is more humanitarian.
The age and health of the victims notwithstanding, a great deal of human suffering might have been alleviated. At least Italy and other Western nations are being helped by China, Russia and even Cuba, nations that Washington sees as its enemies.
Italian nurse’s tears from COVID-19 front-line
I want to end with this video, one of hope. Like many Americans, I didn’t know much about Wuhan. But not only is there pain, suffering and death, there is beautiful life. CGTN posted this story about the gardens of Wuhan. Let these images give us hope, as the Chinese are hopeful as well.
Vlog: Medics relish tranquil Wuhan amid cherry blossoms
“The cherry blossom season in central China’s Wuhan City is just on time. But due to this year’s epidemic, cherry blossom gardens are not open to [the] public yet, but only the medical workers and volunteers who have been fighting on the front line for a long period of time.
Since new coronavirus cases have dropped sharply, many of medical workers can finally have a chance to relish tranquil Wuhan during their time off, and when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
The garden may not be as full as usual, but happy faces remain. Here’s a vlog on the coming of spring by CGTN’s Huang Yichang.
Solgar Vitamin D3 (Cho... Buy New $15.00 ($0.12 / Count) (as of 11:23 UTC - Details) High Potency Vitamin D... Buy New $19.97 ($0.06 / Count) (as of 11:23 UTC - Details) Now Supplements, L-Opt... Buy New $6.32 ($0.06 / Count) (as of 07:55 UTC - Details) Fire TV Stick streamin... Buy New $39.99 (as of 11:14 UTC - Details) Empire of Chaos Best Price: $24.50 Buy New $36.65 (as of 05:45 UTC - Details) War Is a Force that Gi... Best Price: $1.25 Buy New $4.04 (as of 01:05 UTC - Details) 50 Disposable Face Mas... Buy New $18.87 ($171.55 / Fl Oz) (as of 04:55 UTC - Details) 50Pcs Disposable 3-Lay... Buy New $49.99 (as of 02:49 UTC - Details) How To Make Liposomal ... Buy New $5.97 (as of 01:25 UTC - Details) Ground Up Organics Lip... Buy New $19.99 ($0.11 / Count) (as of 11:53 UTC - Details)