Don't Let Politics Shadow Humanitarianism Nor Prejudice Twist Humanity

 Don't Let Politics Shadow Humanitarianism Nor Prejudice Twist Humanity

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

January 29, 2020

 Translation of an Excerpt

The Wuhan coronavirus pneumonia epidemic has spread globally; the CCP Party Central uses high-level leadership to control the epidemic, while local authorities are also adopting extraordinary preventive measures such as city closures and transportation restrictions. However, as the nature of the virus contagion has an upward trend, the spread has accelerated, making the situation more egregious and complicated; it is unknown when the situation can be brought under control. Taiwan, situated at the periphery of the epidemic storm, has been repeatedly invaded by the Wuhan pneumonia; as the epidemic prevention and control is at a crucial juncture, we should not let down our guard.

However, political interference is still the greatest misgiving in cross-Strait epidemic prevention and control. Following Xi Jinping’s instructions, Beijing released the epidemic information in a timely manner, intensifying international cooperation; Premier Li Keqiang also instructed the State Council to coordinate with the WHO, all foreign countries as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, cooperating in concerted efforts. The Mainland also took the initiative to notify Taiwan of the epidemic information, allowing Taiwan experts for inspecting the epidemic situation in Wuhan. President Tsai Ing-wen still, in a loud voice, demanded that China fulfill its international obligations, making the epidemic situation public and transparent, and sharing the epidemic information with Taiwan. It sounded cold and detached, more reproach than sincere cooperation.

In contrast, Lai Ching-te indicated that contagious diseases are common cross-Strait enemies, so the two sides should cooperate in epidemic control, showing more humanitarian broadmindedness. He urged China to adopt an open attitude to accept international assistance, while Taiwan should also take part without any hesitancy, assisting China in resolving this serious epidemic, so as to prevent its continued expansion, adding that patients would also be able to obtain appropriate medical treatment, leading to full recovery. Nevertheless, Lai Ching-te's humanitarian courage was criticized by many Green camp supporters.

Look at Japan. With regard to the issue of whether to make public the nationality of confirmed patients, the Ministry of Welfare and Labor indicated that preventing secondary contagion inside the country was the top agenda, and nationality has nothing to do with this objective, also involving the question of undermining human rights, thus the Ministry decided not to make public the nationality of the patients. Before evacuating its citizens from Wuhan, Japan even paid respects to the PRC government for its determination in epidemic prevention and control, and indicated that it was willing to provide all-encompassing support to deal with the threat of the epidemic jointly with China.

Taiwan has no reason to relax in epidemic prevention, but it does not need to muddle the situation with politics. If the two sides of the Strait cooperate in countering the epidemic, we will avoid the continued expansion of the epidemic situation to affect Taiwan. When an epidemic spreads, do not allow politics to shadow humanitarianism, nor prejudice to twist humanity.

Attachment : none