EDITORIAL - A poor choice of words

A dozen countries have decided to place restrictions on travelers from China because of the runaway COVID-19 situation there.

However, China insists that they are being targeted, especially as they had just announced the end of mandatory quarantine for people arriving from outside China, in effect encouraging their citizens to travel abroad --this despite their surging number of COVID-19 cases.

"Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting China... This lacks scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

She added China could "take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity.”

We don’t know if Mao used the exact word “countermeasure” or if it was a result of translation by a foreign press. Either way the choice of such a word is a poor one.

By its definition, a countermeasure is an action taken to counteract a danger or threat. Other countries issuing restrictions on travelers from Chinese territories doesn’t constitute a danger or a threat to China.

It should also be mentioned that some of these countries have not issued outright travel bans, they are merely requiring COVID-19 testing before they arrive, something that is so simple to do.

If China takes offense with travel restrictions on their citizens then they have some growing up to do. They have to realize that they have no say in how a country decides to protect itself, like enforcing travel restrictions or an outright ban on people from a certain region if they see fit.

China need not look far to look for the culprit behind the travel restrictions; it is the fault of their own government.

Without being prejudiced against Chinese people in general, we say other countries are justified in worrying that Chinese travelers may indeed bring the coronavirus. There is no way for them to gauge the real COVID-19 situation because the Chinese government paints nothing but a rosy picture there despite what the foreign press say.

This is where the Chinese government’s penchant for withholding information, not giving the right information, and not being transparent is kicking them in the backside.

If the Chinese government wants some countries to accept their citizens they can start with being forthcoming about their real pandemic situation, not by issuing threats instead.