我在4月26日《攻击中国的幕后黑手》一文中指出，白宫不断抨击中国，是特朗普总统为即将来临的11月美国总统选举寻求连任的竞选手段之一。
到目前为止，中国北京的反应一直都很克制。但是，近日中国国营新闻社──新华社于4月29日发布的动画视频，清楚地阐明新冠疫情下两国的关系。这视频里通过反讽的方式，有力的反驳了美国的批评。
在该名为《病毒往事》（https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5BZ09iNdvo）的视频里，有著代表中国的兵马俑乐高小人，和代表美国的自由女神乐高小人。一开始时，兵马俑乐高小人不断地发出警示，我们发现了一种新病毒，而自由女神乐高小人，则回应，那又怎样，这只是流感。
当兵马俑不断发出有关病毒的警告，以及疫情在中国爆发的严峻影响时，自由女神像不屑一顾地回应，就如特朗普在新闻发布会上，轻描淡写地淡化了新冠疫情的严重性。
视频展示了许多所谓“独立”的西方媒体，包括英国广播公司，《华盛顿邮报》，《华尔街日报》和《纽约时报》，批评中国当局采取强硬和前所未有的应对疫情措施，尽管视频里并没有点名这些媒体。
把责任推给世卫
当中国在1月和2月对武汉及其周边地区进行封城措施时，西方媒体就出现，“再次侵犯人权”，“建立新的集中营”，“中国不人道和粗野的过度反应”，“典型落后第三世界国家”标题及意图令西方和世界民众震惊的图像。
最终，随著新冠疫情开始在美国扩散，自由女神像的脸因发烧而变成红色，并需要吊点滴。此时，自由女神像对中方和世卫组织发出的警告，依然坚称：“即使我们自相矛盾，我们总是正确的”
如今，特朗普及其官员明显的正试图让民众相信，白宫完全不需为疫情导致美国的人命丧失和经济损害负责。并把责任推卸给“外敌”，即世界卫生组织。
在新冠疫情爆发前，美国是世卫组织最大捐助国，每年提供约4亿美元／17.29亿令吉援助。因此，这很容易成了美国煽动情绪的目标。加上世卫组织的总干事谭德塞不是美国人，而是埃塞俄比亚人。如今，更被指责亲中国，不愿在疫情爆发之初针对中国，也拒绝支持美国把美国和世界其他地方的严重疫情归咎于中国。
美国目前的反世卫组织手段，包括撤回对世卫组织的年度资助，以及不断的抨击世卫，以迫使换掉谭德塞。
在4月15日，特朗普指责世卫组织“没有履行其基本职责，必须被追究责任”。他说，该组织有“协助”中国隐满疫情之嫌，这导致新冠疫情的爆发超出原本的范围。
矢不向美国低头
各方几乎都对特朗普这一指责感到沮丧和遗憾。世卫组织总干事谭德塞立即作出反应，对美国的行动表示遗憾。他认为，“现在是我们所有人团结一致，共同应对威胁的时候”。他指出，世卫组织将探讨在美国撤回资助下的影响，并将“毫无惧怕”地继续开展工作。换言之，世卫组织不会向美国低头。
在应对美国“黑帮式”的策略恐吓中，谭德塞并不孤单。美国的医疗领域专家和官员，也反对特朗普的不负责任行为。
此外，包括德国，爱尔兰，纽西兰和非洲在内的世界各地领导人都一致认同世卫应对疫情的表现。联合国秘书长古特雷斯也指出，目前不是减少世卫组织运作资源的“时机”。他说：“现在是国际社会团结一致和携手同心，制止新冠病毒及其毁灭性灾难的时候。”
除了动员国际社会谴责世卫组织外，美国官员也希望能够通过美国作为现任7国工业集团（G7）轮任主席影响力，推动反中国和世卫组织的运动。G7主要由西方先进的经济体（不包括俄罗斯和中国）组成的，在国际事务上被视为与美国立场一致，也接受美国作为全球领导地位。
在美国于3月25日的第一次试图利用G7平台，在国际上散播虚假消息，指责中国使世界处于更大的新冠疫情危机时，G7成员国，包括英国、加拿大、法国、德国、意大利和日本，就拒绝美国国务卿迈克蓬佩奥主张，后者坚持要使用“武汉病毒”来称呼新冠状病毒。这导致G7这项外交部长会议，未能发表联合公报。
之后的4月16日，G7领导人声援世卫组织，并敦促国际加强合作。德国总理默克尔指出：“只有通过强有力的，协调一致的国际对策，才能克服这种流行病”。
显然，在特朗普领导下的美国，将不会向世卫组织提供资源应对这一次和未来的疫情挑战。因此，其他国家应加紧合作和应对，给予世卫支持，确保国际层面上，拥有所需的人力和财力资源，以更有效解决眼下的危机。
微软创始人比尔·盖茨，就为世界各国领导人树立了一个榜样。首先，他捍卫世卫组织和中国应对疫情的措施。他认为，尽管中国犯了错误，但中国在应对疫情上也做了很多正确的事。他也批评说，“很多对中国指责的说法，是不正确和不公平的”，并指出美国对疫情的反应“处理得很差”。
此外，盖茨基金也宣布向世卫组织追加1.5亿美元／6.48亿令吉捐款，以弥补其资金缺口。与此同时，来自中国的新超级富豪们，在中美新一轮冲突中，除了出口声援世卫外，也出手捐钱。
白宫对战世卫（Covid 19: White House Vs WHO）英文原稿：
In an earlier article I wrote about the continuous China bashing by the White House as a key part of President Trump’s campaign to get himself reelected in the coming November presidential battle.
The Chinese response from Beijing has been very restrained up to now. However, an animated video posted by the state run news agency Xinhua on 29 April sets out clearly the positions of the two countries since the pandemic began. It effectively rebuts the US critics in its satirical presentation.
Titled, “Once upon a virus” the video features Lego-like figures in the form of a terracotta warrior wearing a face mask and the Statue of Liberty. The video begins with the warning, 'We discovered a new virus,' by the warrior.
'So what?' replies the Statue of Liberty. 'It's only a flu.'
As the warrior issues warnings about the virus and records the grim impact of China's outbreak, the Statue of Liberty replies dismissively with echoes of Trump's press conferences in which he played down the severity of the illness.
It also records the response of many so-called independent western media, including the BBC, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times, that criticised the strong and unprecedented mitigation measures undertaken by the Chinese authorities although these media voices are not identified.
As China shut down Wuhan and its neighbouring areas in January and February, headlines of “Violating human rights again”, “Setting up new concentration camps”, “inhumane and barbaric Chinese over-reaction”, “typical backward Third World country” and accompanying images aimed at shocking the western and world public began to appear in the western media.
Finally as the pandemic begins to hit the US hard, the Statue of Liberty turns red with fever and has to be hooked to a drip.
At this point, the statue replies to the warnings sounded by the Chinese side and WHO by insisting:
'We are always correct, even though we contradict ourselves”
WH Versus WHO
Clearly next now in the attempt to sell the US public the message that the White House is entirely without blame for the loss in human life and damage to the US economy, Trump and his officials are picking on another external enemy - the World Health Organization.
Until the pandemic appeared this year, the US was the largest donor to the WHO providing about $400m annually. Hence the WHO is an easy target that plays up to American right wing sentiments. Its director general is also not an American but a distinguished Ethiopian, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He is now accused of being pro-China, unwilling to confront the Chinese at the start of the outbreak as well as for his refusal to support the US in scapegoating China for the severity of the pandemic in the US and around the world.
The US anti-WHO measures for now have consisted of withdrawal of its annual funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the ramping up of criticism aimed at ousting its head.
On 15 April, Trump announced that WHO had "failed in its basic duty and it must be held accountable." He said the group had promoted China's "disinformation" about the virus that led to a wider outbreak of the virus than otherwise would have occurred.
This announcement was greeted with dismay and regret from nearly all quarters. The WHO DG in an immediate response regretted the US action. He argued that "This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat". Significantly he noted that the WHO will review the impact of the funding gap and will continue its work "without fear or favour". Or in other words, the WHO will not be bullied.
Dr. Ghebreyesus is not alone in refusing to be intimidated by the US gangster-like tactics. In addition, medical and health experts and officials from the US are also opposed to Trump’s irresponsible action.
Meanwhile leaders from Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and Africa have expressed solidarity with the WHO COVID-19 Response. The UN, Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres, has noted that this was "not the time" to reduce resources for WHO operations.” "Now is the time for unity and for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences," he appealed.
Besides mobilizing international condemnation of the WHO, US officials have been rallying support against China and WHO through its current chairmanship of G7 countries. This grouping of mainly western leading economies which excludes both Russia and China has been regarded as more in line with the US in international relations and more accepting of US global leadership.
In response to the first US attempt on 25 March to make use of G7 for its international disinformation campaign aimed at accusing China of putting the world in danger in the crisis, the group - which includes the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – resisted US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo’s insistence on calling the coronavirus the “ Wuhan Virus.” This resulted in the meeting of foreign ministers failing to come out with a communique.
Later on 16 April, G7 leaders voiced their backing for the WHO and urged international co-operation. Merkle, the German chancellor argued that “the pandemic can only be overcome with a strong and coordinated international response”.
Strengthening WHO
It is evident that the US under Trump will not provide WHO with the resources to meet the challenge of this and future pandemics. Hence it is important that other countries should step up to the plate to ensure that the vital human and financial resources necessary at the international level for a successful outcome to the crisis are forthcoming.
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft has set an outstanding example for the world’s leaders to emulate. Firsty he has defended WHO and China for its response. He has argued that while China made mistakes, the country did many things right in dealing with the pandemic. He has also criticized “incorrect and unfair things being said about China” as well as noted that the US response to the outbreak was handled “very poorly”.
Besides talk, the Gates Foundation has announced an extra $150 million donation to WHO to meet the shortfall in its funding.
It is important that the new super rich of China also put their money where their mouth is in defence of an organization which has fallen foul of the US new belligerence against China and its supporters at the international stage.
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