German Industry Official Denounces Biased, Anti-China Media Coverage of Coronavirus

Feb. 3, 2020 (EIRNS)—In a press statement, Michael Schumann, president of the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade (BWA), said with a special focus on the mainstream media role, that it seemed that “the entire world has lost its marbles” to spread panic instead of providing support for China in its fight against the novel coronavirus. The German government, he said, should not only fly German nationals out of China, but also concretely help the Chinese in their struggle. German industry, and especially the Mittelstand—Germany’s vital high-technology small and medium-size industry—owe much to China, therefore the Mittelstand will be active in assisting the Chinese in this situation. There is no need for a panic, but rather for confidence that this virus can be fought like the influenza virus before, Schumann insisted.

Schumann singled out Germany’s Der Spiegel among German media, whose cover this week featured a man wearing a red hoody, protective mask, goggles and earphones, with a banner headline “Coronavirus Made in China.”

The website of the Chinese embassy in Berlin similarly denounced media panic-mongering: “Releasing such a picture does nothing to the outbreak, but only causes panic, mutual blaming and even radical discrimination. We despise such a move,” the embassy said, and stressing that global challenges need to be addressed, for which German media share the same responsibility as everyone else.

The embassy further affirmed that China is making every effort to control the novel coronavirus, and has taken firm measures to resolutely fight the epidemic, and that “China thanks the international community, including Germany, for its support and assistance in fighting the epidemic.”