DISINFO: Coronavirus is a Western tool to attack Chinese economy
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: sputnik.by ( archived) *
  • Date of publication: January 28, 2020
  • Outlet language(s): Russian
  • Countries / regions discussed: China, UK, US

DISINFO: Coronavirus is a Western tool to attack Chinese economy

SUMMARY

The UK and US benefit from the situation around the coronavirus. They intentionally hype the threat and stir up a panic around the coronavirus, provoking a rise of Sinophobia. The virus must mostly have an artificial, man-made origin, and the way the Western media report about it points at this version. It is no coincidence that it came up at a time of second round of US-China negotiations and Brexit. The UK is becoming a new global actor, the new dawn of the British empire begins.

Given that China proclaimed its own course in contradiction to West’s, soon China may experience much larger economic problems stemming from the coronavirus infection. Chinese postal deliveries may be threatened which will bring colossal losses to China. The World Health Organization may also announce an epidemiological danger coming from China. This will result in further deterioration of China’s international image, panicking at Chinese stock exchange markets, a blow to Chinese currency and possible political escalation.

RESPONSE

This is a conspiracy theory, one of a dozen of other similar cases about the coronavirus, which is consistent with the narrative that the spread of coronavirus is in the interest of the US, UK, and the West to weaken China economically.

The virus migrated from animals to humans, and while the scientists continue to track its origins there is no evidence to suggest it has been made artificially. The claims implicating the UK and US media in stirring up panic and Western plans to harm Chinese postal deliveries and the country's economy through the World Health Organization are also groundless.

In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Chinese authorities have placed more than a dozen cities under quarantine. The World Health Organisation is working with Chinese authorities and global experts to learn more about the virus. The virus "2019-nCoV” comes from a family of viruses that include the common cold, and viruses such as SARS and MERS.

See previous pro-Kremlin disinformation cases, alleging that Bill Gates is sponsoring the coronavirus, that cancer, syphilis and Spanish flu are US biological weapons; and that the Rockefeller foundation owns the patent for Zika virus.

Embed

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    Your opinion matters!

    Data Protection Information *

      Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

      Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

      Data Protection Information *

      The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.