Scholars call for calmness to fight virus

The world, especially the United States, needs more voices that are reasonable, calm and positive amid its fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Friday.

Hua made the remarks at a daily news conference after 100 Chinese scholars called for international cooperation to contain the disease in an open letter published on The Diplomat on Thursday.

In the letter, the scholars said that the pandemic "is a global public health crisis on a horrific scale not seen in generations," and that it will require "a long-term and arduous global war" to overcome it.

"Countries should be working together, not complaining, finger-pointing, and blaming one another," they said.

Pointing out that China, like many other countries, is a victim of COVID-19, the scholars said that "political bickering" does no good to the healthy development of China-US ties, nor will it help people cope with the pandemic.

Hua, who shared the letter on her Twitter account, said on Friday that some countries' politicians have made a positive response to the letter.

"Countries can win the fight against COVID-19 as soon as possible and protect their people's lives and health as much as possible only by cooperating with one another," she said.

The scholars said the Chinese people "have made unimaginable efforts and sacrifices" to bring the contagion under control in China, and expressed their appreciation for support from the international community, "including donations from American friends" for China's disease control efforts.

Speaking of the origin of the virus, the scholars said such questions need answers from scientists, and that "finger-pointing is demeaning and hurtful to everyone".