Bilingual Editorial: Join hands in the fight against coronavirus
雙語社評:本應攜手抗疫症 中美齟齬惹塵埃
文章日期:2020年4月3日

雙語社評齊齊聽

[英語 (足本收聽)] Presented by Mr NG, Raymond Wai-man, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

[普通話 (足本收聽)] Presented by Ms QIU, Tina Wei, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

 

The novel pneumonia epidemic is sweeping across the world. Currently over 100,000 people have been infected in 92 countries, and more than 3,600 lives have been taken. Yet the epidemic is showing signs of a further spread. The world has only one enemy today, and it is the novel coronavirus. What is regrettable is that China and the US are still "exchanging blows" at governmental and civilian levels, not letting up a bit despite the epidemic.

[ENG audio 1]

Even when two countries are at war, there are three kinds of people who must not be "killed". The first are doctors. The US repeatedly demanded that its delegation of medical experts be allowed to visit China to inspect the epidemic. China did not grant the request. The WHO sent a joint delegation to China. After much wrangling, representatives from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health became part of the delegation nevertheless. Doctors' bounden duty, i.e. saving lives and helping the injured, is politically neutral. To "kill" doctors is to pay no regard to the well-being of patients. Under no circumstances is this acceptable in any country.

[ENG audio 2]

Journalists are the second type of people that cannot be "killed". They report facts in accordance with the principles of journalism. The more journalists one country dispatches to another, the more likely it is for it to understand the situation in that country. The more journalists, the better. However, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published a commentary critical of the Chinese authorities' handling of the epidemic, saying that China is the real "sick man of Asia". The Foreign Ministry repeatedly demanded an apology from the newspaper to no avail. Ultimately the permits of three WSJ journalists stationed in China were revoked.

[ENG audio 3]

Scholars are the third type of people that cannot be "killed". Academic research is neutral, and its outcome can benefit the entire human race. Currently there are a large number of Chinese people, people of Chinese descent and Chinese students in the US. They play a crucial role in subjects such as technology and engineering. Furthermore, they have inextricable relationships with Chinese scholars, and cooperate with them in many areas. The US government is now suspicious about whether some of these scholars are sending the outcomes of research directly or indirectly to China. Some have been expelled, while others have been tried and sentenced. Amid the epidemic, people from the whole world are in a race against time, trying to develop a vaccine as soon as possible so that people from all around the world can be saved from the devastation wreaked by the virus. The sharing of data for discussion of the direction of research is necessary. If the Chinese and US governments impede the process, the whole world will suffer.

[ENG audio 4]

For a long time, China and the US will lock horns with each other in all areas. One recent example has been the election of the director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The Chinese government endorsed Wang Binying, the incumbent deputy director general of the organisation. But the US openly declared that everyone except a Chinese person was welcome to assume that post. Thanks to the US's intervention, Daren Tang Heng Shim, a Singaporean candidate, defeated Wang by a vote of 55 to 28.

[ENG audio 5]

In the face of the epidemic, it is hoped that both leaders will have in their minds the general interests and situation. Let's hope that they will join hands with each other in the fight against the virus instead of fighting with each other.

[ENG audio 6]

本應攜手抗疫症 中美齟齬惹塵埃

新型肺炎正在席捲全球,目前92個國家的感染人數已經超過10萬,奪去了逾3600條性命,並且有進一步蔓延之勢,此刻,全球只有一個敵人,就是新型冠狀病毒。奈何,中美兩國朝野還在拳來腳往,毫不因為疫情而有所消停。

[PTH audio 1]

即使「兩軍交戰」,有3種人不能殺。一是醫生,美國多次要求派醫學界代表團來中國考察疫情,中國沒有答應,世界衛生組織派遣聯合考察團,一番爭議後,美國疾控中心和國家衛生研究院的代表,還是成為了考察團成員。醫生救死扶傷是政治中立的天職,「殺」了醫生就是置病人福祉於不顧,任何國家在任何情况下都使不得。

[PTH audio 2]

第二種不能「殺」的是記者,記者是本着新聞的原則報道事實,派到對方國家的記者愈多,更能夠幫助本國國民了解對方的國情,應該是多多益善。然而,《華爾街日報》刊登了一篇評論文章,指摘中國對疫情的處置,並說中國是真正的「亞洲病夫」,外交部多番要求該報道歉未果,最後取消該報3名駐華記者的資格。

[PTH audio 3]

第三種不能「殺」的是學者,學術是中立的,學者的研究成果,可以造福全人類。目前美國有大量華人、華裔和中國留學生,在科技和工程學科起到舉足輕重的作用。而且他們跟中國學者有千絲萬縷的關係,在很多領域合作,美國現在懷疑這些學者中間有人直接或者間接將研究成果轉移到中國,下令驅逐的有之,送上法庭判刑的有之。這次疫情,全球都在跟時間競賽,盡快研製出疫苗,讓全世界的人免於受到這個病毒的蹂躪,當中要共享數據,探討研發方向,如果中美政府對此橫加阻撓,受害的是整個世界。

[PTH audio 4]

中美兩國今後在很長一段時間,毫無疑問將會全方位對抗,最近的一個例子是在聯合國世界知識產權組織總幹事競選,中國政府支持的候選人是現任該組織副總幹事王彬穎,美國則公開表示,任何其他候選人都可以,就是不能讓中國人當這個職位,於是在美國的插手下,新加坡的候選人鄧鴻森以55票擊敗了28票的王彬穎。

[PTH audio 5]

面對疫情,希望兩個領導人識大體重大局,一起攜手跟病毒鬥,而不是互相先鬥起來。

[PTH audio 6]

明報社評2020.03.09