People stand near the Yangtze River in the city of Wuhan, on April 6. In recent weeks, officials have gradually eased some of the lockdown measures, allowing a limited number of residents to leave their residential compounds for a short time. China lifts lockdown on Wuhan as city reemerges from coronavirus crisis -
https://youtu.be/xBiJLJIOyWo
https://youtu.be/mkCH8JQx8IQ
What does Wuhan tell us?
https://youtu.be/q_z7dX4lGl0
What can we learn from the Wuhan lockdown?
https://youtu.be/jXvDcAFj6zk
Let Wuhan's sacrifice not be in vain
https://youtu.be/YH6JjdANIPY
Can China and the U.S. join hands amid hardship?
https://youtu.be/CcSi-dVgjkg
COVID-19 cases still rising in U.S., deaths surpass 12,000
This is the moment that Wuhan, China, reopened. The city was under lockdown for the last 76 days amid a tight coronavirus quarantine. Home to over 11 million people, the Chinese city celebrated its reopening with a midnight light show.
As the rest of the world tackles the coronavirus pandemic, China has been sending medical support across the globe to help other countries.
This is the moment that Wuhan, China, reopened. The city was under lockdown for the last 76 days amid a tight coronavirus quarantine. Home to over 11 million people, the Chinese city celebrated its reopening with a midnight light show.
As the rest of the world tackles the coronavirus pandemic, China has been sending medical support across the globe to help other countries.
Many families have been apart since the lockdown began, and now that travel restrictions have been lifted many reunion are happening across the city.
Before the city was reopened, Central China's Hubei Province said on Tuesday it will stick to first-level emergency response in tackling COVID-19, even as its capital, Wuhan, lifts travel restrictions.
Provincial colleges, primary and secondary schools, secondary vocational schools, technical colleges and kindergartens will continue to postpone the start of new semester, said the notice.
Hu Shuguang, Wuhan's Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said epidemic control and prevention remain top priority in Wuhan, and people should stay alert.
Hu stressed that reporting no new case doesn't mean there's zero risk of the virus in Wuhan. The epidemic control and prevention task remains critical.
As for now, many residents are celebrating, while remaining alert for signs of the virus.
Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province, restarts on Wednesday after a 76-day lockdown as local authorities officially lift outbound travel restrictions, signaling the normal resumption of life for the city of 11 million people and a phased victory in combating the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).
The Chinese people need to become mentally stronger, not feeling as nervous as before when facing a new reported case. Local governments must guard against any sign of the epidemic while promoting resumption of work and production. This is a test for the entire Chinese society.
Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in China are going full speed ahead to produce what US President Donald Trump has called a "game-changer" as well as other APIs to help countries around the world combat the COVID-19 pandemic, as India moves to partially resume exports of two crucial drugs.
Washington should stop its hypocritical political games. They are of no help for the US to combat the coronavirus. Only by effectively reducing the losses of the American people can US politicians finally recover their political losses
Those who had been staying in Wuhan since the city's lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic keep asking themselves for more than two months: What do I want to do the most after the lockdown is lifted and life returns to normal?
Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming stressed unity and cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 in an Evening Standard article published on Tuesday.
80% of financial help will be additional wage subsidies for employees
PETALING JAYA: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their employees will benefit from a RM10bil financial lifeline.
This is the second stimulus package that the government has announced within 10 days.
The first addresses the plight of the underprivileged and the middle class caught in dire straits due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest package of measures, dubbed the Additional Prihatin, is aimed at assisting SMEs in riding out the Covid-19 storm.
Of the RM10bil, almost 80% will be for additional wage subsidies for those drawing RM4,000 and below monthly.
This is in response to the pleas from many businesses and commerce groups who asked for more financial help.
This is an addition to the RM5.9bil wage subsidy in the RM250bil Prihatin package announced on March 27.
The remaining RM2.1bil in the second package will be in the form of special grants for eligible micro SMEs, with 700,000 of them expected to each receive RM3,000.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) hoped that the additional RM10bil would assist in easing the financial burden of the SMEs and ensure that all their workers remain employed.
“SMEs are the backbone of Malaysia’s economy and the sector accounts for more than two-thirds of the number of jobs in the country and close to 40% of the economy.
“It is therefore vital for us to ensure that SMEs continue to be resilient and sustainable in facing the economic stress and challenges that we all experiencing now,” he said in a televised address yesterday.
The wage subsidy is expected to benefit about 4.8 million SME workers who earn up to RM4,000 a month.
Companies with more than 200 employees will be eligible for a RM600 wage subsidy for each worker, while those that have between 76 and 200 employees will receive the RM800 subsidy.
Companies that employ between one and 75 employees will receive RM1,200 for every worker.
The wage subsidy is for three months and is meant for employers whose companies have registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) or the local authorities before Jan 1 and are registered with the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
It also comes with a condition that employers must retain their staff for at least six months – the three months during which the subsidy is paid and the three months after that.
The government has also abolished the 2% interest under the RM500mil microcredit schemes offered by Bank Simpanan Nasional.
The easy loan scheme for micro-companies is extended to Tekun Nasional with a maximum loan limit of RM10,000 per company at 0%. A funding of RM200mil has been prepared for this purpose.
Businesses can only apply for either one.
Muhyiddin also announced that landlords of private premises who reduce their rental rates by at least 30% from April to June this year will qualify for tax deductions.
He made a plea to landlords to reduce their rental rates during the period and for three months after it ends.
The tax deductions are equivalent to the amount of rent they reduce for three months, subject to the condition that the reductions are at least 30% during the period.
Muhyiddin added that SMEs in premises owned by government-linked companies (GLCs) will have their rental waived or they will enjoy discounts on the rental.
He thanked GLCs such as Mara, Petronas, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, PLUS, UDA and several state-owned companies that have agreed to give these concessions.
“We are also allowing a 25% reduction in the foreign worker levy to all companies whose worker permits end between April 1 and Dec 31. However, this is not applicable for domestic helpers,” he said.
Muhyiddin also urged licensed moneylenders to emulate banks by offering a moratorium for SME instalment payments for six months beginning April.
In another win-win measure, the government is encouraging consultations to be held between employers and employees on employment terms, including the options of pay cuts and unpaid leave during the enhanced movement control order (MCO) period.
“Employers and employees can now refer to the Labour Department for advice to resolve any issues,” he said.
There is also an automatic 30-day moratorium from the last day of the enhanced MCO for companies to submit statutory documents to CCM.The deadline for companies to submit their financial statements has been extended for three months from the last day of the enhanced MCO.
This applies to companies whose previous financial years ended between Sept 30 and Dec 31 last year.
The companies must apply for the extension and no late submission fees will be imposed.
PETALING JAYA: While the additional stimulus for small and medium enterprises (SMES) is a welcomed relief, response from the industry has been somewhat tepid as these additional measures will likely only be sufficient to help soothe the pain until the end of the movement control order (MCO) in mid-april.
If the MCO is extended, the supplemental stimulus will not be enough to keep businesses going and the likelihood of them shuttering their operations will still be on the cards as they brace for a recession.
In an announcement yesterday, the Prime Minister presented an additional stimulus of Rm10bil to ease the financial burdens of the SMES following calls from the industry to provide greater support for the business community.
SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang took the stimulus positively but noted that there were other issues not addressed in yesterday’s announcement.
“We welcome these measures. But the measures are not really enough. They should allow SMES to do business to get their income and cashflow during this MCO period. But if the MCO is extended, these measures are definitely not enough,” he said.
For now, though, Kang is just grateful that the industry, at the very least, “got something”.
“This shows that the government is understanding and they are trying to help so that the SMES can survive and can retain as many jobs as possible.
“It didn’t fully meet our expectations. But of course, we proposed a lot of things,” he added.
One of the important issues which was not addressed in the stimulus is statutory payments, which many employers have said are among the main burdens on their monthly cashflow. Many business associations had asked for a waiver on EPF contributions – or a deferment till year end – and a deferment of monthly tax deductions to the end of the year.
“We hope this will be addressed later,” said Kang.
He also pointed out that there is a lack of impetus to stimulate the economy, moving forward, and this would continue to affect market demand post-mco, making it even more difficult for businesses to get back on their feet.
The new package saw an increase in allocation for the wage subsidy programme to Rm13.8bil from Rm5.9bil previously, with changes made to the payout amount based on the number of workers in a company.
For companies with more than 200 employees, a subsidy of RM600 per employee is maintained and the maximum number of workers eligible for subsidies will be increased from 100 to 200 workers.
For companies with 76 to 200 employees, the company will receive a subsidy of RM800 per employee while companies with up to 75 employees will receive a subsidy of RM1,200 per employee.
The expanded initiative is expected to benefit 4.8 million workers.
Special grants have also been doled out to micro businesses, which make up the largest portion of SMES and are the hardest hit.
The government has also incentivised owners of private premises to reduce rental rates for the duration of the MCO plus, three months after, with tax deductions. While this will help businesses in the services industry, particularly those in food and beverage, retail and accommodation – which make up about 63.9% of the services-based SMES – it remains to be seen if landlords will indeed take the bait.
Meanwhile, Ambank Group chief economist Anthony Dass said the additional stimulus measures supporting the SMES is positive, given that many are experiencing tight cashflow due to no or minimal sales revenue.
“However, the tight cashflow is not just because of the MCO. Businesses were also affected by the poor implementation and policy inconsistencies in the past. Besides, they were affected by the trade war and other domestic challenges.
“Even if the MCO is lifted by midapril or end April, demand is expected to be weak for some time due to travel aversion and social distancing.
“The drop in consumer and corporate spending will intensify the adverse chain reaction that will fuel the collapse of micro businesses, especially the younger and smaller businesses, due to their highly vulnerable situation,” he said.
Not every small business is equipped to survive this downturn, said Dass. And because small businesses contribute disproportionately to job loss during recessions, policy responses are necessary.
“Many SMES have been forced to close their doors and some may not reopen. Apart from revenue loss, they will be impacted by poor credit standings,” he added.
The additional measures will more likely help reduce bankruptcies and bad loans but job losses will remain a major concern.
Apart from rolling out effective measures to help SMES, another crucial point that policymakers will have to take note of is fast and smooth delivery of these measures. With most companies’ cashflow lasting only for two months or so, they cannot afford to weave through a mountain of red tape for a meagre sum.
A few companies that have tried to apply for aid under the Special Relief Facility announced last month said that not all banks are offering the loan and many of those that were, imposed a lot of conditions such as they have to be existing customers to qualify. Additionally, most bankers are unsure about how to handle the applications.
“The procedures and documents are proving to be quite a challenge,” said one food manufacturer.
These loans will also take time to be approved and are further subjected to the approval of Bank Negara and Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia.
The Prime Minister has assured that the initiatives under the stimulus package will be monitored and implemented quickly and efficiently under a new implementation unit set up in the Finance Ministry. The unit will report directly to the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister.
“Most SMES in Malaysia employ fewer than 76 people. So actually, about 75% of companies qualify for this RM1,200 per employee.” Koong Lin Loong
PETALING JAYA: About 75% of companies in Malaysia are expected to benefit from the RM1,200 payout per employee under the expanded wage subsidy programme.
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) SMES committee chairman Koong Lin Loong said the majority of companies in Malaysia, especially small and medium enterprises (SMES), employ fewer than 76 people and would be entitled to this subsidy.
In the Prihatin SME+ stimulus package announcement on Monday, the government increased the allocation for the programme to Rm13.8bil from Rm5.9bil previously.
Under the programme, companies with more than 200 workers will receive a subsidy of RM600 per employee and the maximum number of workers eligible for the subsidy is 200 workers.
For companies with 76 to 200 workers, the company will receive a subsidy of RM800 per employee and companies with up to 75 workers will receive a subsidy of RM1,200 per employee.
“The main objective of the wage subsidy is to help employers retain employees. It should also help the bigger players.
“That was why we asked for the programme to be expanded to all companies, but we need to help the smaller ones more.
“And if you look at most SMES in Malaysia, they employ fewer than 76 people.
“So actually, about 75% of companies in Malaysia qualify for this RM1,200 per employee,” he said.
Koong also clarified that companies with up to 75 workers did not need to prove that there was a 50% drop in sales since January to apply for this subsidy.
Only those with 76 workers and above will need to provide supporting documents to show that sales have declined by at least 50% since January.
“People think that every company needs to prove the 50% drop in sales.
“Actually if you look at the criteria, companies that have up to 75 employees don’t need to prove that sales dropped by more than 50%.
“They are exempted,” he said.
He added that the criteria to prove a 50% or more drop in sales was imposed on companies with 76 workers and above, as they are likely bigger players and would have slightly more reserves to last a little longer.
“If you are a bigger company and you have more than 200 employees, that is a total of RM120,000 that you can get in a month.
“And this programme is for three months. That is quite a bit.
“I think companies are receptive of this. I think that this is actually something significant from the government to help our businesses.
“We have to be fair to the government. Although it can’t subsidise 75% of wages like Singapore because of limited resources, this up-to-75-people criteria covers most companies already,” said Koong.
Prihatin Plus Stimulus Package
BELOW are some frequently asked questions relating to the Prihatin Plus Stimulus Package.
Q : I am a micro-sme, is there a specific initiative for me?
A: Under the Prihatin SME+ stimulus
Package, a special Prihatin Grant worth Rm2.1bil will be established for eligible micro enterprises. A grant of RM3,000 will be provided to each company. The micro SMES must be registered with LHDN.
The government has also abolished the 2% interest rate to 0% under the Micro Credit Scheme amounting to Rm500mil under Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN). The soft loan scheme for micro enterprises is also extended to TEKUN Nasional with a maximum loan limit of RM10,000 at 0% for each enterprise.
Q: What is a micro-sme?
A: According to SME Corp, a micro-sme is defined as a company with sales turnover of less than RM300,000 or employs less than five people.
Q : How can I obtain financing from the Rm5bil Special Relief Facility (SRF) at an interest rate of 3.5% for SMES?
A: Information and application for the SRF can be made through participating banks or online through the / imsme.com.my/ portal. The IMSME portal is Malaysia’s online SME financing/loan referral platform managed by Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia Bhd (CGC) and is supported by Bank Negara.
Financing of up to RM300,000 is also available for SMES in operation for less than 4 years under the Bizmula-i and Bizwanita-i Scheme on the IMSME portal.
Q : Can I make adjustments to my workers’ employment terms to cope with the MCO?
A: The government has agreed to encourage negotiations between employers and employees on the terms of their employment, including the option to deduct salaries and allow unpaid leave during the MCO.
Employers and employees can refer to the Labour Department to obtain advice in regards to any problems arising from a resolution.
Negotiations have to be based on employment laws of the country.
Q :What is the wage subsidy programme?
A: The wage subsidy programme is a financial assistance paid to employers for every worker who earns up to RM4,000 a month. It is intended to help employers with more than 50% drop in sales since January with headcount costs to continue operating and prevent employees from losing their jobs.
Companies with more than 200 employees will receive a subsidy of RM600 per employee for up to 200 workers. Companies with 76 to 200 employees will receive a subsidy of RM800 per employee while companies with up to 75 employees will receive a subsidy of RM1,200 per employee.
Employers can submit their applications for the subsidy at prihatin.perkeso.gov.my/ and further information can be obtained at perkeso.gov.my/ index.php/en/wage-subsidyprogramme
Q :How can a company with 76 employees and above prove that it is suffering a decline in revenue or sales of 50% or more?
A: Employers can prove a decrease of 50% or more with supporting documents showing the total sales revenue or income in January 2020 compared with the other months.
Q :When does the wage subsidy programme come into effect and end?
A: The wage subsidy programme goes into effect on April 1, 2020 and is for a duration of three months. The deadline for application is Sept 15, 2020.
Q :What documents are needed to apply for the wage subsidy programme?
A: i. List of employee that the subsidy is being applied for
ii. Employer’s bank account statement (front page only)
iii. Employer’s bank registration information
iv. Copy of the company’s registration documents
v. Copy of declaration form PSU50
vi. Supporting documents such as financial statements or sales reports to prove loss of revenue that has been verified by management or other related documents
Q :My company has various departments / branches. Can I select only part of the staff from the different departments / branches for the wage subsidy programme?
A: Yes. An employer can choose any local employee with a salary of up to RM4,000 to qualify for the wage subsidy programme.
Q :Who is NOT eligible for the wage subsidy programme?
A: i. Company that registers and operates on or after Jan 1, 2020;
ii. Employers and employees who are not registered with and/ or have not contributed to SOCSO
iii. Employees who are financially supported by the Employment Retention Programme (ERP) in the same month
iv. Employees with monthly salary of over RM4,000
v. Employees who have already been dismissed
vi. Employees of the public sector, federal and state statutory bodies, local authorities and those self-employed
There are great uncertainties ahead, but China has brought the coronavirus under control and proven the strength of its capacity for national mobilization. The country also possesses the world's most comprehensive national industrial base. China is completely able to overcome any challenge it meets, safeguard its strategic security, and protect its people's interests.
The spread of the coronavirus in the US has become a disaster and a tragedy for urban and rural low-income groups. Income inequality and the unbalanced distribution of health system
Submariners are likely unaware of the Covid-19 pandemic that’s wreaking havoc around the world.
French Marine officers wait atop Le Vigilant nuclear submarine at L'Ile Longue military base, near Brest, Brittany, France, in July 2007. — AP
LE PECQ, France: Of a world in coronavirus turmoil, they may know little or nothing.
Submariners stealthily cruising the ocean deeps, purposefully shielded from worldly worries to encourage undivided focus on their top-secret missions of nuclear deterrence, may be among the last pockets of people anywhere who are still blissfully unaware of how the pandemic is turning life upside down.
Mariners aboard ballistic submarines are habitually spared bad news while underwater to avoid undermining their morale, say current and former officers who served aboard France's nuclear-armed subs. So any crews that left port before the virus spread around the globe are likely being kept in the dark by their commanders about the extent of the rapidly unfurling crisis, until their return, they say.
"They won’t know, ” said retired Admiral Dominique Salles, who commanded the French ballistic submarine squadron from 2003-2006. "The boys need to be completely available for their mission.”
Speaking exclusively to The Associated Press, Salles said he believes submariners will likely only be told of the pandemic as they head back to port, in the final two days of their mission.
"Those who are at sea don’t need this information," said Salles, who also commanded the nuclear-armed French submarine L'Inflexible.
"The commander, I think, is doubtless informed about what is happening. I don't think he'll have all the details," he said. The French navy won't divulge what has or hasn't been said to submarine crews. Nor will it say whether any of the four French ballistic submarines, laden with 16 missiles that each can carry six nuclear warheads, left harbour before France instituted a nationwide lockdown on March 17.
"Because the deterrent is wrapped in a bubble of protection and confidentiality, it is impossible to know whether the crews are informed or not of this situation, ” French navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Olivier Ribard said.
French submarine missions last 60 to 70 days, with about 110 crew members aboard. So a crew that left at the end of February wouldn't be expected back before the end of April. In that case, they will return to a world changed by the pandemic. On March 1, France had just 130 confirmed Covid-19 cases and two deaths. In under a month, those numbers have surged past 2,600 dead and over 40,000 sickened (8,093 deaths and 93,780 cases as at April 6, 2020) .
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
For submariners, the return to land could be a shock.
"They won’t have experienced the crisis as we did, with a bit of fear, the lockdown. So for them it will be quite a surprise. They will learn the history, but it will be a history that is related to them," said a serving officer who was the doctor on the ballistic submarine Le Triomphant for four years. He spoke on condition that he be identified only by his first name and rank, in accordance with the rules of his branch of the French military.
"All events that could affect or change the morale of the crew members are kept from them," said the officer, Chief Doctor Gabriel. "Since there is no Internet, no radio and no television on board, the only news you get comes from messages received by the commander, and the commander filters the messages to not give all of the information to everyone.”
The doctor was underwater in 2012 when an extremist killed three French paratroopers and later killed a rabbi, his two young sons and grabbed an eight-year-old girl and shot her in the head. Only later did the officer learn of the attacks,"so when people talk to me about it, I find it impossible to imagine, ” he said.
"The only place where you are really cut off from all information is underwater, because even on a vessel in space there is still the radio, television, the Internet," he said.
When bombings hit Madrid in 2004, Salles didn't inform submariners who were at sea for the ballistic flotilla that was then under his command.
Salles said the situation now will be toughest for any crews that leave harbour in the weeks ahead, because they'll know they are leaving loved ones in the midst of the pandemic and, possibly, still living in lockdown. The French government has already extended its stay-home orders once, to April 15, and said it could do so again.
Salles said he believes those crews will get regular coronavirus updates, but won't be told of any family deaths until they are returning to the l’Ile Longue submarine base near Brest in Brittany.
Salles was at sea in a sub when his father died. The news was kept from him until he had finished his 60-day mission.
"No matter how serious an event is, there is nothing a submariner can do about it. And since he cannot do anything, better that he know nothing," Salles said. "They know that they won't know and accept it. It's part of our deal.” – John Leicester AP/Star
In an interview with CGTN on April 3, China's top respiratory scientist Zhong Nanshan said lockdown measures adopted by some countries in Europe or the United States are not effective as they are not exactly implementing real lockdown. He said that the lockdown should go deeper and be stricter, stressing the importance of social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus. "Nobody can block, can stop the spreading or stop the infection of this kind of disease. But we can try to do our best to inhibit the spreading. So, that's what we are successful," he added.
US must take more stringent containment measures: top respiratory expert
Zhong Nanshan, 80, China's revered infectious disease expert, warned on Thursday that if the COVID-19 outbreak continues to worsen in the US, it could become a global issue, since the number of US confirmed cases account for almost a quarter of global cases.
"I am now gravely concerned with the epidemic in the US, and if it gets worse, it will become a global problem," Zhong said on Thursday night during a COVID-19 international experience sharing and exchange video conference.
Zhong said that he noticed a significant increase in the number of COVID19 patients in the US over the past few days, suggesting that the country has begun mass screening of its citizens.
Screening in the US is progressing very advanced, Zhong noted. It takes about 15-20 minutes for a patient to get test results, while it currently takes an hour and a half in China, he said.
"US has made much progress in testing and determining the infected patients, but tracing all their close contacts, separating them, isolating them and cutting the transmission chain is much important," Zhong said.
Zhong urged the US federal government to adopt stronger measures to stem the spread of the pandemic in the US.
The US has reported more than 241,000 cases as of late Thursday, almost a quarter of confirmed cases in the world, and more than 5,800 deaths.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 300,000 by 3:40 p.m. local time Saturday (1940 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
Whether the US and China can now pivot toward collaboration where interests overlap will shape the degree of global cooperation with regard to both more effectively combating the coronavirus and no less, in the huge challenge of restarting the global economy.
Chinese coronavirus test kits are desperately clamored for by many foreign clients, but some unfriendly Western media outlets have chosen to smear and discredit made-in-China products.
Masks can help prevent people from being infected. The suggestion is scientific and Asian countries have a lot of experience in this regard. However, excessive cultural confidence has hindered the US and European countries from giving due attention to the experience of their Asian counterparts.
Ignorance is bliss
However, the kind ailing that United States' top brass has come at a devastasting cost to the Uncle Sam
https://youtu.be/sdre7SOd2hg
A news report appeared in the New York Times a week ago. It was probably glossed over, even in the Big Apple, as most New Yorkers struggle with overnight unemployment and keeping a roof over their heads.
It was conspicuously absent from CNN’s newsfeeds, too, despite its world-wide audience, as it remains preoccupied with ridiculing President Trump, while Fox News was per-script in blaming the virus on China.
Most of us outside the US were expectedly unaware of this significant event.
But on March 29, the NY Times reported about a commercial aircraft carrying 80 tonnes of gloves, masks, gowns and other medical supplies from Shanghai, touching down in New York last Sunday, marking the first of 22 scheduled flights that White House officials say will supply much-needed goods to the US by early April.
The NY Times is a credible 169-year-old American newspaper with a worldwide influence and readership. It has won 127 Pulitzer Prizes – more than any other newspaper.
The report quoted Lizzie Litzow, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who said the plane delivered 130,000 N95 masks, 1.8 million face masks and gowns, 10 million gloves and thousands of thermometers for distribution in NY, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Apparently, there should be subsequent flights to Chicago and Ohio, where supplies will be despatched to other states using private-sector distribution networks.
Now, here’s the gem. The NY Times added, attributing a White House spokesman, that the shipment from China which arrived in NY was the product of a public-private partnership – led by President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner – with major health care distributors including McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Owens & Minor, Medline and Henry Schein.
Representatives from those companies had previously met with Trump at the White House.
So, while Trump was busy throwing punches at China, with his incessant China Virus remarks, he was, instead, quietly seeking help from the republic behind the scenes.
Trump isn’t the only one culpable, either. His Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, is equally pompous with his obsession in lambasting China for everything, including Covid-19, from which spawned the now-infamous “China Virus” line.
His remarks have become much more contagious than the virus itself with each passing day.
The virus struck Wuhan, China, in December last year, then spread to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, during which Trump was still dismissive of it.
He portrayed it as a mere flu bug, with his predictable barrage of false claims and fake news, and even until last month, he kept repeating that Covid- 19 was not as bad as the seasonal flu.
And of course, as the rest of Asia was busy stocking up on face masks, sterilisers and food supplies, he still insisted that “the United States is in a far better shape than other countries.”
None of us in Asia, especially, believed him. In fact, we feel sorry that many ordinary Americans didn’t wake up to the threat. Echoing their president’s sentiments, they assumed the US would be immune to it. Mr T shot from the hip again, and in his usual condescending manner.
After all, Asians deserve it, what with their filthy eating habits and dirty animal markets, right?
The British likely thought the same, and continued to attend huge gatherings like football matches, and went on pub crawls and walks in the park, too.
Asians watched in exasperation at the continuing nonchalance of these people.
Incredibly, as the bodies pile up at the morgue, there are US leaders who continue to engage in the meaningless blame game.
If they think they can gain sympathy with this inane approach, they should know that the virus isn’t going away, and eventually, victims will wise up. And as leaders, they will still have to tackle this health disaster.
As of now, US health workers have resorted to rationing protective gear or using homemade supplies, with the Department of Health and Human Services saying it estimates the US will require 3.5 billion masks if the pandemic lasts a year.
The NY Times, quoting Litzow, said “the overwhelming demand has set off a race among foreign countries, American officials at all levels of government and private individuals to acquire protective gear, ventilators and other much-needed goods from China, where newly built factories are churning out supplies even as China’s own epidemic wanes.”
It added that the US was working with manufacturers from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, Honduras and Mexico.
Until a few months ago, the US was halting trade with China, imposing barriers and tariffs, and kicking out US-based Chinese scientists, but now, the NY Times reports that “American governors, mayors and lawmakers have been trying to arrange their own shipments of products from China, with some saying the federal government has been moving too slowly, which risks losing out to other foreign buyers.
“American officials have leaned on sister cities and province relationships, liaison offices they had set up in China to attract investment and connections with state-run Chinese companies to try to secure scarce equipment.”
It also said that the private sector, comprising a motley crew of wealthy individuals, charitable organizations and corporate executives with connections to China, have also stepped forward to help deliver goods to the United States.
Tragically, as Italy and Spain, among other nations, battle helplessly against the Covid-19 virus, the European Union’s miserable failure casts a long shadow. No EU member has sent aid to their Italian brethren.
The politicians can question China’s motives in its aid offer, in what is now dubbed the “face mask diplomacy”, but real help goes a long way in tough times. Talk is cheap, President Trump.
Representing the private sector, Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Alibaba, donated a million masks and 500,000 test kits to the US.
Other benefitting countries of the masks will include Spain, Belgium and France, with the same resource already sent to Czech Republic, Greece and Serbia.
For Malaysia, China has donated 100,008 units of novel coronavirus nucleic acid diagnostic (PCR-Fluorescence Probing) test kits, 100,000 pieces of N95 face masks, 500,000 pieces of surgical masks, 50,000 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) and 200 ventilators.
The Committee of 100, a leadership organisation of Americans of Chinese descent, has raised US$1mil (RM4.3mil) to purchase medical supplies and protective gear from around the world to help their country.
Against this backdrop of generosity and care, Pompeo still had time to hold a global teleconference on March 29, as he continued his offensive on China for its alleged campaign of misinformation on the virus.
