新冠疫情帶來的其中一個現象就是疫情政治化。這現象對普通民眾來說並不容易察覺，因為他們每天通過媒體關注到的是，直接與他們健康和社會經濟問題有關的新聞。
但是，對于敏銳的觀察者而言，新冠疫情危機讓政府以及相關單位，不管是國內或國際層面上，提供了一個有利于其政治利益的時機。當下，一些西方國家的政府和媒體就利用新冠疫情，攻擊中國和中國人，以撈取政治利益。
這情況並不足為奇。實際上，基于以下幾個原因，這反而是預料中事。
首先，西方國家的政府，特別是七國集團（G7）的政府及其一些非西方盟國，特別是日本，將中國視為對其在全球體系，經濟和國際關係的主導地位帶來威脅。
特朗普曾讚賞中國
其次，隨著中國崛起為全球工業和製造業主力，加上其日益強大的軍事力量，也令西方國家有所警戒，尤其是美國。儘管美國還是世界第一強國，但由於無力壓制中國日益增長的全球影響力，過去十年來美國在全球政治和經濟中的主導地位也受到削弱。
第三，中美之間不斷擴大的經濟和貿易失衡，以及某程度上，中國和一些歐元區國家也有類似的經貿失衡，這引起了這些社會的仇外情緒和民族主義的崛起。尤其隨著政治人物和遊說集團相互競爭，通過煽動輿論對抗「外敵」來提高本身聲望時，與中國的貿易衝突課題也逐成為日常新聞的焦點。
在新冠疫情中，追擊中國者中，最顯著的就是美國總統特朗普。但許多人不知道的是，特朗普在新冠病毒于中國武漢爆發時，對中國所做的努力是非常支持和認可的。
當西方許多媒體譴責中國政府為遏制新冠疫情擴散，以「嚴酷，嚴苛和令人無法接受」的手段，對武漢市實施「封城」時，特朗普在1月24日的一則推文中，讚揚中國和習主席的努力：「中國一直在努力遏制新冠病毒傳播。美國高度讚賞他們的努力和透明度。一切都會順利的。我特別要代表美國人民感謝習主席！」
接著，在2月7日的新聞上，特朗普說：「昨晚，我與（中國）習近平主席進行了很好的交談，我們談論了──主要是關于新冠病毒。他們非常努力在克服這疫情，我認為他們做得很專業。他們與世界保持著聯繫—世界組織，也包括（美國）疾病控制和預防中心（CDC）。我們正在合作，世界衛生組織正與他們合作，美國疾病控制和預防中心也與他們合作。昨晚我與習主席進行了一場很好的交談。這是一個艱難的處境。我認為他們做得很好。」
在2月29日的新冠病毒工作隊新聞發布會上，特朗普說，「中國似乎正在取得巨大進展。他們的（感染）人數下降了……我認為我們與中國的關係非常好。我們剛剛達成了一項重大（貿易）協議。我們正與中國進行另一項貿易協議談判，這是非常重大的。我們一直在緊密合作。在新冠疫情上，他們一直在與我們交流，我們也一直在與他們溝通。」
實際上，美國著名的政治新聞網站Politico，就整理了一份清單，詳細列出今年初，特朗普公開讚揚中國防疫努力的列表。有興趣了解特朗普早前正面肯定，中國為遏制新冠疫情所做的努力的讀者，可瀏覽相關文章〈在新冠疫情防疫上，特朗普稱讚了中國15次〉。
由贊轉貶歸咎責任
可是，當特朗普清楚了解新冠病毒與普通流感病毒不一樣，並且擔心這將影響到他在11月總統選舉中的連任機會時，特朗普及其支持者改變了方向，對中國和中國政府在疫情防控上的稱讚，幾乎一夜之間轉變了。
第一個現象是，特朗普在3月19日的每日新聞發布會上決定使用「中國病毒」一詞代替公認的新冠病毒（COVID-19）的縮寫，從而將美國因疫情擴散，而導致的公共衛生危機和經濟損失責任歸咎於中國。
儘管，特朗普把美國疫情擴散及影響的責任，推卸給另一個國家，但他使用「中國病毒」一詞，立即激起了對亞裔人的反感和仇恨，他不得不迅速撤回有關的字眼。
如今，特朗普的戰略是更全面的，要將中國作為此次疫情擴散的替罪羊。該策略的主要手段就是編制大規模的虛假訊息和不實消息，目的是定調，誰應被歸咎於導致此次的危機，誰應對這場給美國帶來前所未有的人口傷亡和社會經濟損失的危機，負上責任。
1月21日，美國確認了第一宗的新冠病例。三個月後，即4月18日，據美國約翰霍普金斯大學冠狀病毒資源中心稱，美國被感染的人數已超過75萬人，而死亡人數也接近4萬，是世界首位。
對於美國應對新冠疫情的緩慢、無能、笨拙和管理不善，特朗普總統負有最終責任，而不是中國。大多數美國人和世界上多數國家都知道這一點。遺憾的是，依然有人在特朗普每日新聞發布會上，沒有看到「國王新衣」，沒看到國王赤裸裸遊行的醜劇。
（《攻擊中國的幕后黑手》原文：Covid 19: Who’s Behind China Bashing ）
One key outcome of the covid 19 pandemic is its politicization. This development is not readily visible to the ordinary public because of the immediate health and socio-economic concerns that appear in the news media on a daily basis.
However it is clear to astute observers that the pandemic crisis provides governments, and other stake players at the national and international levels an opportunity to take advantage of it for their political interests.
Today the Covid 19 issue is being used by some western governments and the western media generally to score political points against China and the Chinese.
This is not surprising. In fact it is to be expected for several reasons.
Firstly, western governments especially those in G7 and some of their non-western allies notably Japan see China as a threat to their dominance of the global system, economy and international relations.
Secondly, the rapid development of China as a global industrial and manufacturing force together with its increasing military power has caused alarm bells to ring. These alarm bells have been activated especially in the United States. Although the US has been the number one world power, the last decade has seen its dominant role in global politics and economy undermined by its inability to match the growing Chinese influence and presence all over the world.
Thirdly, the widening economic and trade imbalance between the United States and China, and to a lesser extent that also found between China and some Eurozone countries, has given rise to xenophobic and nationalist concerns. The trade conflict with China has increasingly come to dominate everyday news with political leaders and lobbies vying with each other to increase their popularity by fanning public opinion against an external enemy..
Trump as China Basher Chief
The most prominent amongst the China bashers arising from the pandemic has been President Trump of the United States. What’s not known to many is that Trump’s initial response to China’s efforts following the virus outbreak in Wuhan was very supportive and encouraging.
In a tweet on 24 January when many in the western mass media had condemned the “harsh, draconian and unacceptable” efforts of the Chinese government to lockdown the Wuhan city population to contain the pandemic outbreak, Trump hailed China and President Xi in the following terms:
“China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
In press remarks on 7 February he said:”Late last night, I had a very good talk with President Xi, and we talked about — mostly about the coronavirus. They’re working really hard, and I think they are doing a very professional job. They’re in touch with World — the World — World Organization. CDC also. We’re working together. But World Health is working with them. CDC is working with them. I had a great conversation last night with President Xi. It’s a tough situation. I think they’re doing a very good job.”
On Feb. 29 during a Coronavirus Task Force press conference he said“China seems to be making tremendous progress. Their numbers are way down. … I think our relationship with China is very good. We just did a big trade deal. We’re starting on another trade deal with China — a very big one. And we’ve been working very closely. They’ve been talking to our people, we’ve been talking to their people, having to do with the virus.”
A prominent US policy platform, Politico, has, in fact, compiled a list of times that Trump publicly praised China for its efforts to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the early months of 2020.
Readers interested in finding out about Trump’s early positive assessment of China’s efforts to contain the pandemic spread can find it in the article “15 times Trump praised China as coronavirus was spreading across the globe “ (see https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/15/trump-china-coronavirus-188736)
Almost overnight after singing praises of China and the Chinese government, once it became clear to Trump that Covid 19 was not like any ordinary influenza virus, and amidst concern that it would cost him his reelection in the coming November presidential polls, Trump and his supporters have changed direction.
The first sign of this was when Trump in his daily press conference on 19 March decided to use the term ”Chinese virus” in place of the accepted shorthand for the COVID-19 virus so as to put the blame on China for the rapidly rising health and economic virus toll in the US.
However while blame could be easily targeted at another country, his use of the term “Chinese virus” immediately inflamed antipathy and hatred against Asians and he had to quickly backtrack from use of that term.
In its place now is a more comprehensive strategy aimed at targeting China as the scapegoat in the pandemic. A major part of this strategy is the orchestration of a massive disinformation and misinformation campaign aimed at re-writing who is to be blamed for the severity of the crisis and who are responsible for its unprecedented human and socio-economic toll in the US.
The first covid 19 case was confirmed in the United States on 21 January. Three months later by 18 April, according to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center over three quarters of a million Americans have been stricken by the virus and the nation is the first in the world in terms of deaths with close to 40,000 deaths.
It is President Trump who has ultimate responsibility for the slow, ineffective, bungling and mismanaged response to covid 19 in the United States, not China. The majority of Americans and most of the rest of the world know this. It is a pity that there are some who do not see the Emperor parading around with no clothes during his daily press conference.
评论: 林德宜