🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 155 (from laksa170)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa155.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://globalnews.ca/news/6698597/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://globalnews.ca/news/6698597/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6698597\/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism\/","crawl_time":1776047388,"first_indexed_time":1584574261,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"ca,globalnews!\/news\/6698597\/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism\/ s443","src_root_hash":"18131072723757590355","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Trump continues to call coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’ in spite of hate crime risks - National | Globalnews.ca","meta_descriptions":["Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"President Donald Trump\nsaid Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling\nCOVID-19\nthe “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination.\nSince coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States.\nAmong the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener.\nIn Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus.\nStory continues below advertisement\nEven before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma.\nAsked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark.\n“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate.\n0:31\nCoronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill\nHe indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019.\n“China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.”\nStory continues below advertisement\nBeijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China.\nGet weekly health news\nReceive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.\nAt a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response.\nPompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over.\nReports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion.\n“We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.”\n“It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.”\n1:46\nCoronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act\nJohn C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years.\nStory continues below advertisement\n“For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.”\nHe noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes.\n“That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.”\nDuring a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk.\n“No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.”\nOn Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president.\n“Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official.\nStory continues below advertisement\n1:32\nWhite House eyes $850 billion stimulus package\nShe called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.”\nAfter the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.”\n“Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted.\nBut the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer.\nStory continues below advertisement\nThe strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there.\nFor most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.\nThe vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.","attrs_markdown":"[SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6698597\/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism\/#content)\n\nIn the news\n\n- [Artemis II](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11773208\/artemis-ii-re-entry-chris-hadfield\/)\n- [Maya Gebala](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11772751\/maya-gebala-los-angeles-treatment-dana-white\/)\n- [Melania Trump](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11773044\/jeffrey-epstein-survivors-melania-trump-statement\/)\n- [Greenland](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11773216\/greenland-donald-trump-comments-piece-of-ice\/)\n\n[Global News Home ![](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/assets\/dist\/images\/logo-mobile.svg?v=2)](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/pages\/email-alerts\/)\n\nSite theme toggle. 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Please read our [Commenting Policy](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/pages\/global-news-commenting-policy\/) first.\n\n### Write a comment\n\n![](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/globalnews_covid19tagpagebanner_1280x54_v4.jpg?quality=90&strip=all)\n\n- [Coronavirus homepage](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/coronavirus\/)\n- [Covid case tracker](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6649164\/canada-coronavirus-cases\/)\n- [Vaccination tracker](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/7583050\/covid-19-vaccine-tracker-coronavirus-canada\/)\n- [Questions answered](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/coronavirus-questions\/)\n\nscroll left\n\nscroll right\n\n[Video link](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/)\n\n[Headline link](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/)\n\nAdvertisement\n\nClose X\n\nClick to scroll back to top of the page\n\nBack  \nto top\n\n[World](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/world\/)\n\n# Trump continues to call coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’ in spite of hate crime risks\nBy Deb Riechmann And Terry Tang  The Associated Press\n\nPosted March 18, 2020 6:25 pm\n\n**5 min read**\n\nIf you get Global News from Instagram or Facebook - that will be changing. 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size\n\nIncrease article font size\n\n[President Donald Trump](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/donald-trump\/) said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling [COVID-19](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/coronavirus\/) the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination.\n\n![](https:\/\/d21y75miwcfqoq.cloudfront.net\/70c8fc80)\n\nSince coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States.\n\nAmong the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener.\n\nREAD MORE:   [Coronavirus: Trump to invoke emergency powers to marshal medical supplies amid pandemic](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6698287\/trump-emergency-powers-coronavirus\/ \"Coronavirus: Trump to invoke emergency powers to marshal medical supplies amid pandemic\")\n\nIn Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nEven before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma.\n\nAsked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark.\n\n“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate.\n\n![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill'](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/rvc0s9bp0r-l36gura6jw\/Senate_Vote.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)\n\n0:31\n\nCoronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill\n\nHe indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019.\n\n“China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.”\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nBeijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China.\n\n![Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/healthiq.jpg)\n\n## Get weekly health news\nReceive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.\n\nBy providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/terms-of-use\/) and [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/privacy-policy\/).\n\nAt a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response.\n\nREAD MORE:   [As COVID-19 spreads, the war of words between Beijing and Washington helps no one](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6693293\/beijing-washington-war-of-words-coronavirus\/ \"As COVID-19 spreads, the war of words between Beijing and Washington helps no one\")\n\nPompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over.\n\nReports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion.\n\n“We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.”\n\n“It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.”\n\n![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act'](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/g7fkren06h-sr8nj9lkt2\/trumpp.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)\n\n1:46\n\nCoronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act\n\nJohn C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\n“For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.”\n\nHe noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes.\n\nMore on World\n\nMore videos\n\n- [Hungary’s Orban concedes landmark defeat to centre-right opposition](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11798123\/hungary-election-orban-concedes-defeat\/)\n- [Trump orders Hormuz blockade as peace talks falter](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11797800\/us-iran-ceasefire-talks-end\/)\n- [‘We are bonded forever’: Artemis II crew reflect on historic 10-day mission](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11796172\/artemis-2-crew-returns\/)\n- [US-Iran talks begin in Pakistan as war’s fragile ceasefire holds](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11785221\/us-iran-ceasefire-talks-pakistan\/)\n\n- [![](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/a24d61awuf-nt6jnwd9hr\/JD_VMS.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade as face-to-face talks with Iran fail](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11798026\/trump-orders-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-as-face-to-face-talks-with-iran-fail\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/40ba7x8m8a-pfnemzdyey\/THUMBS.00_00_02_22.Still004.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Hungary’s Orbán concedes ‘painful’ election loss after 16-year rule](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11798274\/hungarys-orban-concedes-painful-election-loss-after-16-year-rule\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/li1w0f8lg9-u6q3vwsb2y\/SPACE.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Artemis II astronauts return from historic moon mission, call Earth a ‘lifeboat’ in space](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11797359\/artemis-ii-astronauts-return-from-historic-moon-mission-call-earth-a-lifeboat-in-space\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/831uqyh7x8-4yw0etj7vf\/ISRAEL.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) ‘Epstein class will be made accountable’: Gaza-bound aid flotilla aims to break Israel’s siege](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11798251\/epstein-class-will-be-made-accountable-gaza-bound-aid-flotilla-aims-to-break-israels-siege\/)\n\n“That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.”\n\nREAD MORE:   [Coronavirus: Global markets sink after Trump promises economic aid for COVID-19](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6694311\/coronavirus-markets-trump-aid-package\/ \"Coronavirus: Global markets sink after Trump promises economic aid for COVID-19\")\n\nDuring a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk.\n\n“No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.”\n\nOn Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president.\n\n“Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\n![Click to play video: 'White House eyes \\$850 billion stimulus package'](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/scg6xsmbqy-wesu3866qz\/0317_jackson.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)\n\n1:32\n\nWhite House eyes \\$850 billion stimulus package\n\nShe called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.”\n\nAfter the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.”\n\n“Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted.\n\nBut the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer.\n\nREAD MORE:   [Trump shifts tone as U.S. struggles to contain coronavirus outbreak](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6688143\/coronavirus-trump-shifts-tone\/ \"Trump shifts tone as U.S. struggles to contain coronavirus outbreak\")\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nThe strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there.\n\nFor most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.\n\nThe vast majority of people recover from the new virus. 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Corus News. All rights reserved.\n\n[![Corus Entertainment Home](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/assets\/dist\/images\/logo-corus.svg)](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/)\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Copyright](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/)\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/terms-of-use\/)\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/advertising\/)\n- [Advertising Standards Terms](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/terms-and-conditions\/)\n- [Corus Entertainment](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/media-centre\/brands\/)\n- [Accessibility](https:\/\/www.corusent.com\/accessibility\/)\n\nAdvertisement\n\n![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=3005670&c3=&c4=&c5=&c6=&c15=&cv=2.0&cj=1)","attrs_readable_markdown":"[President Donald Trump](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/donald-trump\/) said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling [COVID-19](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/coronavirus\/) the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination.\n\n![](https:\/\/d21y75miwcfqoq.cloudfront.net\/70c8fc80)\n\nSince coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States.\n\nAmong the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener.\n\nIn Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nEven before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma.\n\nAsked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark.\n\n“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate.\n\n![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill'](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/rvc0s9bp0r-l36gura6jw\/Senate_Vote.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 0:31 Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill\n\nHe indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019.\n\n“China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.”\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nBeijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China.\n\n![Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.](https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/healthiq.jpg)\n\n## Get weekly health news\nReceive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.\n\nAt a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response.\n\nPompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over.\n\nReports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion.\n\n“We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.”\n\n“It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.”\n\n![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act'](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/g7fkren06h-sr8nj9lkt2\/trumpp.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:46 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act\n\nJohn C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\n“For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.”\n\nHe noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes.\n\n“That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.”\n\nDuring a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk.\n\n“No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.”\n\nOn Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president.\n\n“Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\n![Click to play video: 'White House eyes \\$850 billion stimulus package'](https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/scg6xsmbqy-wesu3866qz\/0317_jackson.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:32 White House eyes \\$850 billion stimulus package\n\nShe called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.”\n\nAfter the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.”\n\n“Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted.\n\nBut the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer.\n\nStory continues below advertisement\n\nThe strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there.\n\nFor most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.\n\nThe vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://globalnews.ca/news/6698597/donald-trump-coronavirus-racism/
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Meta Title	Trump continues to call coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’ in spite of hate crime risks - National \| Globalnews.ca
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Boilerpipe Text	President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination. Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States. Among the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener. In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus. Story continues below advertisement Even before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma. Asked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate. 0:31 Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill He indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019. “China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.” Story continues below advertisement Beijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. At a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response. Pompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over. Reports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion. “We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.” “It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.” 1:46 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years. Story continues below advertisement “For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.” He noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes. “That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.” During a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk. “No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.” On Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president. “Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official. Story continues below advertisement 1:32 White House eyes $850 billion stimulus package She called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.” After the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.” “Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted. But the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer. Story continues below advertisement The strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
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Hide message bar This article is more than 6 years old and some information may not be up to date. ![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump defends use of term ‘Chinese Flu’ to describe COVID-19'](https://i2.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/b75lx599yv-kxt2cdfw0t/TrumoThumber5.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 0:35 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump defends use of term ‘Chinese Flu’ to describe COVID-19 close video mute video unmute video WATCH: Coronavirus outbreak: Trump defends use of term 'Chinese Flu' to describe COVID-19 – Mar 17, 2020 Leave a comment [Share this item on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Share this item via WhatsApp](whatsapp://send?text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%20-%20https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews%2Eca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Share this item on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%20https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Send this page to someone via email](mailto:?Subject=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca&body=%0D%0ATrump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews%2Eca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A) See more sharing options ## Share Close [Share this item on Facebook facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Share this item on X x](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%20https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Send this page to someone via email email](mailto:?Subject=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca&body=%0D%0ATrump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews%2Eca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A) [Share this item via WhatsApp whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%20-%20https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews%2Eca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) [Share this item via Telegram telegram](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F&text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca) [Share this item on Reddit reddit](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F&title=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca) [Share this item on BlueSky bluesky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Trump%20continues%20to%20call%20coronavirus%20%E2%80%98Chinese%20virus%E2%80%99%20in%20spite%20of%20hate%20crime%20risks%20-%20National%20%7C%20Globalnews.ca%20https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6698597%2Fdonald-trump-coronavirus-racism%2F) Copy article link Copy link Descrease article font size Increase article font size [President Donald Trump](https://globalnews.ca/tag/donald-trump/) said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling [COVID-19](https://globalnews.ca/tag/coronavirus/) the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination. ![](https://d21y75miwcfqoq.cloudfront.net/70c8fc80) Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States. Among the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener. READ MORE: [Coronavirus: Trump to invoke emergency powers to marshal medical supplies amid pandemic](https://globalnews.ca/news/6698287/trump-emergency-powers-coronavirus/ "Coronavirus: Trump to invoke emergency powers to marshal medical supplies amid pandemic") In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus. Story continues below advertisement Even before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma. Asked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate. ![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/rvc0s9bp0r-l36gura6jw/Senate_Vote.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 0:31 Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill He indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019. “China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.” Story continues below advertisement Beijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China. ![Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.](https://globalnews.ca/wp-content/themes/shaw-globalnews/images/skyline/healthiq.jpg) ## Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' [Terms and Conditions](https://www.corusent.com/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.corusent.com/privacy-policy/). At a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response. READ MORE: [As COVID-19 spreads, the war of words between Beijing and Washington helps no one](https://globalnews.ca/news/6693293/beijing-washington-war-of-words-coronavirus/ "As COVID-19 spreads, the war of words between Beijing and Washington helps no one") Pompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over. Reports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion. “We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.” “It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.” ![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act'](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/g7fkren06h-sr8nj9lkt2/trumpp.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:46 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years. Story continues below advertisement “For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.” He noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes. More on World More videos - [Hungary’s Orban concedes landmark defeat to centre-right opposition](https://globalnews.ca/news/11798123/hungary-election-orban-concedes-defeat/) - [Trump orders Hormuz blockade as peace talks falter](https://globalnews.ca/news/11797800/us-iran-ceasefire-talks-end/) - [‘We are bonded forever’: Artemis II crew reflect on historic 10-day mission](https://globalnews.ca/news/11796172/artemis-2-crew-returns/) - [US-Iran talks begin in Pakistan as war’s fragile ceasefire holds](https://globalnews.ca/news/11785221/us-iran-ceasefire-talks-pakistan/) - [![](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/a24d61awuf-nt6jnwd9hr/JD_VMS.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade as face-to-face talks with Iran fail](https://globalnews.ca/video/11798026/trump-orders-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-as-face-to-face-talks-with-iran-fail/) - [![](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/40ba7x8m8a-pfnemzdyey/THUMBS.00_00_02_22.Still004.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Hungary’s Orbán concedes ‘painful’ election loss after 16-year rule](https://globalnews.ca/video/11798274/hungarys-orban-concedes-painful-election-loss-after-16-year-rule/) - [![](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/li1w0f8lg9-u6q3vwsb2y/SPACE.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) Artemis II astronauts return from historic moon mission, call Earth a ‘lifeboat’ in space](https://globalnews.ca/video/11797359/artemis-ii-astronauts-return-from-historic-moon-mission-call-earth-a-lifeboat-in-space/) - [![](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/831uqyh7x8-4yw0etj7vf/ISRAEL.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all) ‘Epstein class will be made accountable’: Gaza-bound aid flotilla aims to break Israel’s siege](https://globalnews.ca/video/11798251/epstein-class-will-be-made-accountable-gaza-bound-aid-flotilla-aims-to-break-israels-siege/) “That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.” READ MORE: [Coronavirus: Global markets sink after Trump promises economic aid for COVID-19](https://globalnews.ca/news/6694311/coronavirus-markets-trump-aid-package/ "Coronavirus: Global markets sink after Trump promises economic aid for COVID-19") During a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk. “No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.” On Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president. “Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official. Story continues below advertisement ![Click to play video: 'White House eyes \$850 billion stimulus package'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/scg6xsmbqy-wesu3866qz/0317_jackson.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:32 White House eyes \$850 billion stimulus package She called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.” After the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.” “Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted. But the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer. READ MORE: [Trump shifts tone as U.S. struggles to contain coronavirus outbreak](https://globalnews.ca/news/6688143/coronavirus-trump-shifts-tone/ "Trump shifts tone as U.S. struggles to contain coronavirus outbreak") Story continues below advertisement The strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. 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Readable Markdown	[President Donald Trump](https://globalnews.ca/tag/donald-trump/) said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling [COVID-19](https://globalnews.ca/tag/coronavirus/) the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination. ![](https://d21y75miwcfqoq.cloudfront.net/70c8fc80) Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States. Among the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway car who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener. In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus. Story continues below advertisement Even before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma. Asked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” when scientists say the disease doesn’t respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus” because he wants to be accurate. ![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/rvc0s9bp0r-l36gura6jw/Senate_Vote.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 0:31 Coronavirus outbreak: U.S. Senate votes to pass COVID-19 aid bill He indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the U.S. military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019. “China had tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Trump said. “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.” Story continues below advertisement Beijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China. ![Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.](https://globalnews.ca/wp-content/themes/shaw-globalnews/images/skyline/healthiq.jpg) ## Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. At a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “Wuhan virus” and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response. Pompeo also suggested that an “after-action” report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that U.S.-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over. Reports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Center, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion. “We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional,” Ward said. “And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence.” “It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America.” ![Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act'](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/g7fkren06h-sr8nj9lkt2/trumpp.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:46 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump to invoke Defense Production Act John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the “yellow peril,” despite living in the United States for years. Story continues below advertisement “For us, words matter,” Yang said. “In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health.” He noted that the World Health Organization has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Yang said terms like “Kung-flu” are not jokes. “That’s racial stereotyping, and it’s just not funny,” Yang said. “This is not comedy when it leads to verbal and physical assaults against a community.” During a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term “kung-flu.” The president was asked whether using a term like “Chinese virus” puts Asian Americans at risk. “No, not at all. Not at all,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.” On Tuesday, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang had tweeted that a White House official had called the coronavirus the “Kung-Flu” in front of her. She did not identify the official, but Jiang mentioned the remark Wednesday morning to Kellyanne Conway, counsellor to the president. “Of course it’s wrong,” said Conway, who wanted to know the identity of the official. Story continues below advertisement ![Click to play video: 'White House eyes \$850 billion stimulus package'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/scg6xsmbqy-wesu3866qz/0317_jackson.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all) 1:32 White House eyes \$850 billion stimulus package She called the reference “highly offensive” and noted that she was married to an Asian American and that her children were 25 per cent Filipino. “Why don’t we go to the source and tell them that’s very hurtful and unhelpful.” After the news conference, the White House defended the president’s language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named for geographic locations. They labeled the controversy a “fake media outrage.” “Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis,” the White House tweeted. But the “Spanish” flu is a misnomer. Story continues below advertisement The strain is theorized to have actually developed in Kansas. Because newspapers on both sides of World War I censored most early news of the outbreak for the sake of public morale, Spain, which remained neutral, freely reported on influenza, giving the impression it had originated there. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
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