A medical staff measures temperature of a traveler in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Feb. 1, 2020. Over 60 travelers from Wuhan, the hardest-hit city of the epidemic outbreak in central China, or who used to travel to Wuhan in the past few days, were discharged from medical observation and ended the quarantine on Saturday. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)
False accusations at this critical time are even more irresponsible, and offend those in all corners of China who are working around the clock to save lives and try to end the epidemic as soon as possible.
by Xinhua writer Jiang Li
BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- As China is going all out to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic, it is sad to see that some are trying to use the human rights card to stigmatize the country's prevention and control measures.
Some human rights groups, like Amnesty International, smeared China's quarantine measures as "arbitrary detentions" that have kept people as "prisoners" in their homes.
It is true that Beijing has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough prevention and control measures, but only to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Staff members deliver meals for people under quarantine at a hotel in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Wei Donghua)
Locking down a city like Wuhan that hosts a population of 11 million is in every way a tough decision to make. Thanks to the sacrifice of Wuhan people, the outbreak has been largely confined to Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital.
For millions of responsible Chinese, they prefer to staying home, or in the rhetoric of those human rights groups, "imprisoning themselves," which is not only good for their own health, but also reduces risks for others.
There are people who don't understand this, including those human rights groups. To save lives of many more others, compulsory quarantine measures are nothing but necessary.
As a result of China's efforts, the epidemic has been effectively prevented from spreading to other countries, with infections outside China amounting to less than one percent of those inside China so far.
It is fair to say that China deserves credit for its quarantine measures, instead of slandering.
Staff members of Tangdu Garden Community and volunteers buy food and daily necessities from a supermarket for residents quarantined at home at Lianhu District in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)
To ensure that those under self-quarantine can go on with their daily lives, local communities and authorities across China have ensured easy access to the delivery of groceries and other essentials at residents' doorsteps. Meanwhile, working from home has allowed people's work lives to function in a semi-normal fashion.
Meanwhile, to make sure that the general public, both at home and abroad, are informed on the epidemic, the Chinese government is also communicating in a highly transparent manner via means like daily press briefings attended by senior officials and medical experts, and sharing information with governments of other countries.
For quite a long time, some Western governments, rights groups and media outlets have gotten used to lecturing China over so-called human rights issues. They have from time to time tried to use human rights as an excuse to smear China.
A staff member works in a laboratory in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. As a designated service provider of nucleic acid detection of the novel coronavirus, KingMed Diagnostics laboratory in Wuhan conducts non-stop detection service and detects over 2,000 samples from various cities in Hubei Province every day. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)
However, such accusations at this critical time are even more irresponsible, and offend those in all corners of China who are working around the clock to save lives and try to end the epidemic as soon as possible.
Over the past four decades since its reform and opening-up, China has achieved tremendous progress in protecting and promoting human rights. This year, the country is going to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and eliminate extreme poverty within its borders. That goal, once achieved, will be a milestone in the world's history of the human rights cause. And even the current hardship will not delay the Chinese people's pursuit of a better life.
As of now, the epidemic is still raging, affecting the lives of many. Those prejudiced people should take off their colored lenses and switch to a more objective and truth-based perspective on China's efforts. ■
