Disinfo: Coronavirus is an attempt by the Anglo-Saxons to control China

Summary

Coronavirus is linked to the opium wars when Chinese emperors wanted to prevent the access of the British empire to Chinese domestic ports. China’s opening up happened through the active spread of opium. Today, similarly, international organisations and private medical foundations openly call on China to give them access to Chinese industrial zones saying: we will sort it out ourselves and find a vaccination. This, which the Anglo-Saxons are good at, serves as a method of opening China up and establishing external control over it.

Disproof

This is a coronavirus-related conspiracy theory aimed to discredit the West and the so-called Anglo-Saxons. In the pro-Kremlin media, the term “Anglo-Saxons” means “evil”, “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, as explained by our earlier analysis.

The Opium Wars were a dark page in the British Empire and, more generally, in the West's history. However, the parallels with the current coronavirus epidemic are unfounded and only serve to groundlessly imply that the West purposefully uses it against China to reach economic and political goals.

The current coronavirus (2019-nCoV) comes from a family of viruses that include other viruses such as SARS and MERS. It was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in central China and has been rapidly spreading with new cases being reported in the Asian-Pacific region as well as Europe, North America and the Middle East, causing more than 700 deaths by 10th February 2020.

The identity of the animal source of the coronavirus, named nCoV-2019, has been one of the key questions for researchers. Coronaviruses are known to circulate in mammals and birds, and scientists have already suggested that nCoV-2019 originally came from bats. One of the previous coronaviruses that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, spread from bats to civet cats to humans.

Two researchers from the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou have recently identified the pangolin as the potential source of nCoV-2019. This was announced to reporters at a press conference on 7th February 2020.

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that coronavirus was created on purpose, probably by the same British lab which poisoned the Skripals, that coronavirus is the West’s revenge for China refusing to become hostile towards Russia, and that coronavirus is a Western tool to attack Chinese economy.

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sputnik.by (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 185
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11/02/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: China, UK
  • Keywords: coronavirus, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: Coronavirus was created on purpose, probably by the same British lab which poisoned the Skripals

There is evidence that the coronavirus was created on purpose. First of all, both the US and the UK have announced the existence of a vaccine. But any expert knows that it’s not possible to create a vaccine against a virus, which was never seen before. In UK the Porton Down laboratory, a quite well known organisation which has been dealing with chemical and biological weapons for a long time has said they already have the vaccine. According to media, they have patented it already one year ago!

This is the same organisation which put the poison on the Skripals’ door handle. Probably they put something also over the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, for example, on the door handle of the subway, or rather not the door handle but this one [thing, object] which is being touched by thousands of people. Unfortunately, we can’t exclude such a situation. It can be an act of biological sabotage, it might have been carried out not by a State, for example, the US, but by certain private corporations. The appearance of such beneficiaries able to go on market already tomorrow with an already made vaccine is a not direct proof of that.

Feb 10, 2020
Disproof

The statement has no supporting evidence and is another example of conspiracy narratives on a plot against China, profitable to the US; on the UK which invented coronavirus. See more examples of groundless statements about the coronavirus here.

The current coronavirus (2019-nCoV) comes from a family of viruses that include other viruses such as SARS and MERS. It was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in central China and has been rapidly spreading with new cases being reported in the Asia-Pacific region as well as Europe, North America and the Middle East, causing more than 700 deaths by 10 February 2020.

Disinfo: New Ukrainian labour law permits employees to be fired for no reason

A new labour law in Ukraine includes permission to fire anyone from work at any time and for any reason.

Feb 10, 2020
Disproof

This is another example of the Kremlin's ongoing disinformation campaign to portray Ukraine as a failed state, misrepresenting the essence of a proposed Ukrainian labour law by selectively and hyperbolically reporting only on one provision and omitting the remaining context.

In total, four draft labour laws are under consideration in the Ukrainian Parliament. The final version of the law in question is not yet set, as discussions in the Verkhovna Rada are still ongoing. However, Economy Minister Tymofiy Mylovanov explained that while the Labour Bill does refer to the possibility of dismissing an employee on the initiative of the employer, this must not happen without an explanation of the reason. Moreover, Mylovanov wrote on his Facebook page, current legislation offers no material protections for employees who have been dismissed: according to the current code, there are ten reasons to dismiss an employee, and an employer can do so without bearing any financial responsibility for this decision. Under the new Labour Law, however, material compensation for dismissed employees would be made mandatory, also to discourage the transformation of business enterprises under false pretences for the sake of staff reduction. For the relevant excerpt of the bill explaining these provisions, see here.

Disinfo: A law on slavery is being prepared in Ukraine

A new Labour Code is being prepared in Ukraine, but it’s better to call it a law on slavery. While civilised countries make sure that people work as productively as possible, that is, give less time to the employer, work efficiently and productively, and spend more time with family and children, only in Ukraine, they believe that people should work around the clock.

Feb 10, 2020
Disproof

Part of the recurring pro-Kremlin narrative showing Ukraine as a failed state.

In total, four draft labour laws are being considered in the Ukrainian Parliament. The final version of the law is not yet set, as discussions in the Verkhovna Rada are still ongoing. Still, 40 hours per week are left as basic working hours. For 16-18-year-olds, it is shorter by 4 hours. The right to a flexible work schedule is also granted with consent. Rest periods between work shifts should be at least 12 hours every 24 hours. There is no mention of round-the-clock work. The annual basic paid leave is granted for a period of 24 calendar days for each working year, which is counted from the date of the employment contract.