Xinhua Commentary: Wrong, wrong, and wrong again -- Some Western media's unprincipled criticism of China's COVID policy（新华评论：错、错、还是错——看看一些西方媒体对中国抗疫的“无原则批评”）
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
新华评论：错、错、还是错——看看一些西方媒体对中国抗疫的“无原则批评”
新华社北京12月10日电 “唯一不变的是变化本身”——这是东西方哲人的共识。在今天这个因新冠疫情而充满着变化的世界，这句话听起来更加睿智、贴切。
基于奥密克戎毒株致病力下降、全国范围疫苗接种更加普及和防控经验日益丰富等现实状况，中国近来不断优化调整其防疫措施，回应民众需求，推动人民正常生产生活有序恢复。
这是主动识变应变的中国政府一贯秉持的理念与逻辑的延续：坚持人民至上、生命至上，尊重科学、实事求是。
但不出所料的是，一些戴有色眼镜的美西方媒体继续对中国防疫指手画脚，试图用种种推理和模型来证明“优化调整”，即他们口中所谓的“急转弯”，是又一个错误。它们指责中国的决策是“冲动草率的”并且是“毫无准备的”，这“或导致100万人死于新冠‘冬季浪潮’”。它们认为这一决策将“扰乱中国经济”并“推高全球通胀水平”，进而危害世界。
颇为讽刺的是，过去几年来它们批评中国采取严格防控措施来积极战“疫”时，操弄的几乎是同一套词汇与话术。
当中国采取严格的科学的疫情防控措施时，它们曾预言世界第二大经济体将“付出沉重代价”，曾指责中国会“扰乱世界供应链”“加剧全球通胀”“让全球市场感到紧张”……
今年5月，美国《财富》杂志一篇文章曾引用专家观点，质疑中国严格的防疫政策“干扰经济活动”；本月，中国优化调整防疫措施，同一名作者再次撰文，声称此举将导致“不可避免的疫情暴发”，会“进一步造成经济混乱”。如此自相矛盾，只能落得个贻笑大方。
严格防控不行，优化调整也不行，试问这些充满偏见的记者先生，怎么才行？实践证明，在这些带着偏见的西方媒体眼里，恐怕怎么都不行，“唯一不变的”就是闭上眼睛的指责。
在某种意义上，这些对中国的批判、否定早已不再是基于科学与事实，而已是一种习惯，甚至已经成瘾——就如一个五岁孩子对棒棒糖的依恋。以这样的“无原则批评”来观察中国并向世界报道，只会导致误解、隔阂甚至是仇恨。
持续批评的背后是美西方一些媒体根深蒂固的傲慢与偏见：不论是抗疫方案还是发展或治理模式，只要“与我不同”，就是不对、不好。
让我们用数据和事实说话。目前，中国大陆新冠导致的死亡人数不到5300。相较之下，美国早已超百万的死亡人数让人触目惊心。疫情暴发后的几年里，美国“躺平”抗疫，导致人均预期寿命骇人地缩短2.7岁。同期，中国的人均预期寿命则超过了美国。
这充分证明，中国高效统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，中国的疫情防控政策也为科学认识疫情、研发疫苗药物、提高全民疫苗接种率争取了宝贵时间。
一个拯救了数百万生命、守护人民生命健康的政府不应被如此误读与抹黑。
三年来，中国开发了有效的诊疗技术和药物应对新冠，病原检测、流行病学调查等能力持续提升，疫苗研发取得积极进展，全人群疫苗完全接种率超九成，群众的健康素养明显提升。
这些综合性因素为当前的防控工作奠定了坚实基础，也是进一步优化调整防控措施的必要条件。
需要指出的是，中国调整防疫政策是“主动优化”而非“被动放开”。在提出最新优化方案的同时，中国也不回避挑战，下决心提高老年人疫苗接种率和加强建设重症监护单元等。
各国国情各异，医疗资源、人口结构、社会文化取向都不尽相同。当世界又站在历史的十字路口，当人类面对疫情这个共同的敌人，我们需要的是理解与合作，而非傲慢与偏见。
