Spanish— The President of the United States, Joe Biden, prohibited all references to COVID-19 that could link the disease to its geographic location. In other words, the Democratic president called for an end to the use of names such as “Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus” because, in his opinion, they stimulate racism in the United States.
The decree was made official on Tuesday. Biden signed a memorandum issued by the White House where he justified this procedure. The document explains that “inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric has put Asian-American and Pacific Islander individuals, families, communities, and businesses at risk.”
NEW: Pres. Biden: "Today, I'm directing federal agencies to combat the resurgence of xenophobia, particularly against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that we've seen skyrocket during this pandemic." https://t.co/IEXZ7eZA0R pic.twitter.com/FKLMKH1eKH
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 26, 2021
As the text continues, the subtleties are left aside to address the issue. The references to former President Donald Trump are clear, and so is the finger-pointing at his administration.
“The Federal Government must recognize that it has played a role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin,” reads the document.
Similarly, it explains that “such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes.”
The memo also takes aim at executive departments and agencies. In that order, it assures that it would ensure that official actions, documents, and statements “do not exhibit or contribute to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.”
Unnecessary niceties to talk about COVID-19
The signing of this memorandum has already had its reactions, and valid ones at that. One of the first to speak out was former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a man close to former President Trump, who clarified in an interview broadcast on Fox News the demagogic nature of this new order promoted by the Democrat.
Pompeo asked Biden to put aside the delicacy and recognize the role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the spread of COVID-19, not only in the Asian nation but also in other continents.
“I have called it the ‘Wuhan virus’ almost since its inception… It started in Wuhan. In fact, it’s a virus that came from that place. We know that the Chinese Communist Party covered it up. We know that doctors and journalists who wanted to write about it disappeared and were told they couldn’t,” Pompeo said.
According to The Epoch Times, CCP officials knew in early December that the virus had appeared in Wuhan but held onto the information for six weeks. They detained those who tried to warn of the danger, accusing them of spreading “rumors,” and employed the regime’s stringent censorship to prevent media coverage and remove any mention of it from social networks.
Biden and China
Currently, with the Democrat, the forecasts are not so encouraging in international politics. Analysts argue that Biden could soften the porous relationship left by Trump with China. All pointing to economic benefits, obviously.
A few days after taking office as president of the United States, Biden has executed actions that give strength to these theories. This administration’s return to the Paris Climate Agreement is a clear example of this.
For example, China is currently a signatory to the Paris Agreement. However, it is the most polluting country in the world. It does not comply with its agreements; on the contrary, it has increased its CO2 emissions.
Political consultant Raul Tortolero noted other advantages that China may have over the United States after Biden’s new executive orders. On the issue of climate change, the expert said that China “takes one more advantage over the economies that are leaving behind non-renewable energies. At the same time, it already surpasses even California in the clean energy market, especially in wind and solar.”
With this scenario just around the corner, it is time to take a close look at how Biden will handle thorny issues and see whether or not he will succumb to the Red Dragon.