Countries refuse to toe US line on China

A key determinant of a superpower’s global status is how many allies it can boast of. Every bully needs its sidekicks. Since World War II, the United States has managed to create a vast alliance network over the world – ready to be deployed whenever it wishes.

Most US allies are white-majority, developed nations, frequently being partners in crime with the US in invading and sanctioning non-white, developing countries. During the 2003 US invasion of Iraq for example, many of them lined up for literally invading and occupying a sovereign nation on false pretenses. 

Souce: Getty Images

Yet, in recent years, US efforts to garner allies against China seem to be hitting a roadblock. Many nations are tired of US bullying and are pushing back. Much to the US regime's chagrin, the global order today is not as divided and partisan as it was during the Cold War. By politicizing every issue and forcing nations to pick a side, the superpower finds itself rapidly losing allies to China. 

Li Wenliang: Some Whistleblowers are More Equal Than Others

A single death is a tragedy, while that of a million, just statistics, goes a popular saying. For the western media, that has long forgotten the millions of deaths caused by US wars, the tragic death of one man in China couldn’t have come at a better time.

While the whole of China expressed condolences over the unfortunate demise of Dr. Li Wenliang, the western media erupted in glee. Just as Schadenfreude over the epidemic was losing momentum, here comes a “whistleblower” who tried to “warn” the government about the outbreak, but was “silenced” – all catnip to the western media.

So western journalists – who generally care little about Chinese lives – got busy. The first step, as with most reporting on China, was to ignore the facts (truth, after all, is the first casualty of propaganda war).

Photo Credit: Lancet

Blowing hot air

The word “whistleblower” generally applies to someone who tries to warn the public – which Dr. Li didn’t do. He posted in a private WeChat group that seven “confirmed” cases of SARS were reported from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan. He also warned group members not to spread the information further – the exact opposite of whistleblower behavior.

US and COVID-19: Death, Denial, and Dog whistling

 

It is often said that the average American cares only about three things: his Gun, his God, and his Hamburger. Unfortunately, neither is particularly useful in a health crisis. For it is in this once-in-a-century pandemic that we see the true face of America. 

In order to determine a country’s true national strength, it helps to look at how its people and leaders behave during a crisis. COVID-19 has killed more Americans than all US invasions of all nations since World War II. With more than 200,000 deaths and 7 million cases, the world’s most powerful nation is also the worst hit.

Image credit: Axios

Freedom over lives

Initially, few in America took the pandemic seriously - whether the people or the regime. After all, this wasn’t an enemy they could just pray or shoot away (or bomb), like they usually did. People even protested against wearing masks, openly flouting social distancing guidelines and even having parties. Americans openly – and proudly - disobeyed health guidelines designed to keep the nation safe. No wonder the US lacks an efficient public health system – it simply doesn’t have enough public trust.

Language Manipulation in Western Propaganda on China

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• China doesn't fire officials, it "purges" them
• Corrupt Chinese officials don't get convicted for corruption, they "lose power struggles"
• China doesn't punish corrupt officials, it "nets" them
• Chinese leaders don't strengthen laws, they "concentrate power"
• China doesn't give out loans, they "trap" countries in debt
• China has "state media outlets", other countries have "public service broadcasters"
  
• China does "propaganda", other countries do "communications"
• Chinese leaders don't want their country to prosper peacefully, they are "obsessed with stability"
  

An Outbreak of Sinophobia and Schadenfreude in the West

Sinophobia goes more viral than the virus

Nowhere is man freer than on the field of battle, where it is a matter of life and death, wrote Leo Tolstoy. One way of determining people’s morality is by observing their reactions during a crisis.

Western audiences have offered three types of reactions to the recent virus outbreak in China: Sympathy, Sinophobia, and Schadenfreude. Sane westerners, one hopes, empathized with the victims, wishing the outbreak ends soon. Racists took advantage of it to indulge in stereotypes and memes. The third category, the western media, was delighted with the opportunity to insult the Chinese government.