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President Donald Trump drew backlash Monday night after posting a tweet using the phrase "Chinese Virus."
Kimmy Yam, NBC News•March 17, 2020
After giving an address Monday afternoon in which he said the country may be headed toward recession and urged social distancing, he later tweeted his confidence in and support for various sectors while including the offensive remark.
"The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!" he wrote.
Many officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have criticized the phrase as inaccurate and potentially harmful in promoting racist associations between the virus and those from China.
The comments prompted massive backlash from many social media users, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said the tweet was misplacing blame and could put more Asian Americans in danger.
If you’re looking for someone to pin this crisis on, try the guy who made up a phony Google website or promised testing kits that he STILL hasn’t delivered.
Our Asian-American communities — people YOU serve — are already suffering. They don’t need you fueling more bigotry. https://t.co/jjcO7treC2
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 17, 2020
And I hate bringing more attention to the fact that he said Chinese virus... but I’d like us to continue to look out for our Asian brothers and sisters who are experiencing attacks against them because people are assuming they have the virus because they are Chinese https://t.co/NPvwUKn95Q
— aj rafael (@ajRAFAEL) March 17, 2020
Trump just tweeted “Chinese virus” Say hello to 25 years of Asian American kids taking hell for no sin of their own. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
This guy is a nightmare. A pig.
— Nate McMurray for Congress 2020 (@Nate_McMurray) March 17, 2020
Mr. President: This is not acceptable. Calling it the "Chinese virus" only instigates blame, racism, and hatred against Asians - here and abroad. We need leadership that speaks clearly against racism; Leadership that brings the nation and world together. Not further divides. https://t.co/wPTcnoO5QU
— Eugene Cho (@EugeneCho) March 17, 2020
Chinese officials condemned Trump's comments, saying his tweet smeared China.
"The U.S. should first take care of its own matters," said Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry.
Trump has previously referred to COVID-19 as a "foreign virus," and he has also retweeted a supporter who used the term "China Virus." His newest reference comes days after CDC Director Robert Redfield agreed at a House hearing that it was "absolutely wrong and inappropriate" to use labels like "Chinese coronavirus," as the virus had expanded beyond China to other parts of the world. There were roughly 3,500 confirmed cases of the illness in the U.S. as of Monday night.
Many others have condemned the practice of identifying the illness by location or ethnicity, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, which called on its fellow legislators to "help us prevent hysteria, ignorant attacks, and racist assaults that have been fueled by misinformation pertaining to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)" by sharing only confirmed and verifiable information.
While some, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., publicly condemned the racism tied to the pandemic, others, such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have continued to use the offensive language, pointing to outlets that have used similar wording.
The Asian American Journalists Association released guidelines for responsible reporting in February to curb "fueling xenophobia and racism that have already emerged since the outbreak."
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., previously told NBC News that it's possible that several GOP legislators have continued to use the rhetoric to distract from Trump's handling of the pandemic. She said it's likely that officials are using China or Asian Americans as scapegoats "versus actually dealing with the problem at hand."
Along with the virus' spread, there has been an increase in racist incidents and discrimination targeting Asian Americans. Two Hmong guests endured harassment and were later barred from staying at first a Super 8 and then a Days Inn in Indiana. In California, an Asian teen was bullied, assaulted and sent to the emergency room over fears surrounding the pandemic.
De Blasio held a media roundtable Wednesday to condemn coronavirus-related discrimination against Asian communities in New York.
"Right now, we've seen particularly troubling instances of discrimination directed at Asian communities, particularly in Chinese communities," he said. "This is unacceptable."
OF COURSE HE DOES
Trump defends using term 'Chinese virus,' calling it a response to China blaming US military for coronavirus
HE CALLED IT THAT BEFORE THE CHINESE MADE THEIR US MILITARY CLAIM 
https://andyoucallyourselfascientist.com/2016/12/01/the-mask-of-fu-manchu-1932/
SURPRISED HE DID NOT INVOKE THE "YELLOW PERIL" TROPE
https://andyoucallyourselfascientist.com/2016/12/01/the-mask-of-fu-manchu-1932/SURPRISED HE DID NOT INVOKE THE "YELLOW PERIL" TROPE
Business Insider•March 17, 2020
President Donald Trump defended his use of the term "Chinese virus" during a press briefing Tuesday.
Trump said he decided "to call it where it came from" rather than argue with the Chinese government, a representative of which recently said without evidence that the US military might have brought the virus to China.
"We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
President Donald Trump defended his use of the term "Chinese virus" during a press conference on Tuesday, calling it a response to a Chinese government spokesman's "false" accusation that the US military might have brought the coronavirus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it first appeared.
"China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them," the president said.
"Rather than have an argument, I said I have to call it where it came from, and it did come from China. So I think it's a very accurate term," Trump added, referring to the term "Chinese virus," which he has used in some recent tweets.
President Donald Trump defended his use of the term "Chinese virus" during a press conference on Tuesday, calling it a response to a Chinese government spokesman's "false" accusation that the US military might have brought the coronavirus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it first appeared.
"China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them," the president said.
"Rather than have an argument, I said I have to call it where it came from, and it did come from China. So I think it's a very accurate term," Trump added, referring to the term "Chinese virus," which he has used in some recent tweets.
During the press briefing, the president called China "the source" of the virus.
A biker passes by a wall of paintings of old shops in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, March 4, 2020 Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images
While the coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, first appeared in central China, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been deeply critical of assertions that the virus originated in China.
"Some US political figures have recently been connecting the coronavirus with China. We express strong indignation and objection to such stigmatization," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing Tuesday. "We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China."
Facing criticism, the Chinese government has been trying to shift the blame beyond its borders, to the US in particular.
Last week, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, suggested on Twitter that "it might be the US Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan."
Demanding transparency from the US, he said the "US owe us an explanation!"
The US Department of State summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the spokesman's remarks, and the Department of Defense issued a statement strongly condemning the Chinese government's decision to "promulgate false and absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members. "
"Our military did not give it to anybody," Trump said Tuesday.
While the coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, first appeared in central China, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been deeply critical of assertions that the virus originated in China.
"Some US political figures have recently been connecting the coronavirus with China. We express strong indignation and objection to such stigmatization," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing Tuesday. "We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China."
Facing criticism, the Chinese government has been trying to shift the blame beyond its borders, to the US in particular.
Last week, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, suggested on Twitter that "it might be the US Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan."
Demanding transparency from the US, he said the "US owe us an explanation!"
The US Department of State summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the spokesman's remarks, and the Department of Defense issued a statement strongly condemning the Chinese government's decision to "promulgate false and absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members. "
"Our military did not give it to anybody," Trump said Tuesday.
Critics have accused Trump of xenophobia and scapegoating through his use of the term "Chinese virus." Some have argued that he is creating an unnecessary stigma. "I think saying our military gave it to them creates a stigma," Trump countered during the briefing Tuesday afternoon.
Lindsey Ellefson and Lawrence Yee,
The Wrap•March 17, 2020
Xinhua News, China’s state-run press, appeared to chastise President Trump after he referred to the coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus” in a tweet Monday night.
“Racism is not the right tool to cover your own incompetence,” Xinhua responded in a tweet, which didn’t link to any other news story and include any other context.
Racism is not the right tool to cover your own incompetence pic.twitter.com/LmGDyPsULt
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) March 17, 2020
The virus, which is now a global pandemic, originated in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization has mandated that “the name of the disease could not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people. It also needed to relate to the disease and be pronounceable. This choice will help guard against the use of other names that might be inaccurate or stigmatizing.”
Also Chinese and Asian Americans have reported being subjected to harassment and even violence as the pandemic spreads. Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency during a White House press conference just last Friday. In late February, Trump downplayed the risk, saying the virus would “within a couple days [it is] going to be down to close to zero.”
Trump’s “Chinese Virus” label is consistent with his practice of disparaging foreigners. Axios says such language employed by the Trump administration “subtly frames other national security issues as problems created by foreigners.”
“The mixed messaging coming out of the White House right now is not only irresponsible but it’s downright dangerous,” the co-host said.
McCain also criticized GOP Rep. Devin Nunes for encouraging people to go out to eat Sunday, which directly contradicts recommendations from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Americans practice social distancing. She criticized Trump as someone who “can’t even handle not shaking hands,” a reference to his numerous handshakes at a press conference Friday where he announced the designation of coronavirus as a national emergency. That, too, is in contrast to advice from experts, who largely suggest minimizing contact to avoid spreading the virusRead original story China’s State-Run Press Appears to Chastise Trump for Labeling Coronavirus ‘Chinese Virus’ At TheWrap
Read original story China’s State-Run Press Appears to Chastise Trump for Labeling
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