Coronavirus: Liu Xiaoming, China's UK Ambassador, on China's role in Covid-19 - BBC HARDtalk

As the global effort to control Covid-19 continues so arguments about culpability for the spread of the pandemic intensify. At the centre of the story is China, where the outbreak began. Did the Chinese government’s impulse to cover up the truth cost the world dear? Or did China respond with admirable determination? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the veteran Chinese Ambassador in London Liu Xiaoming. Is China the villain or the hero of this pandemic?

[emileguertin]

As soon as you brought Trump into the conversation, you lost me. Stephen you're not asking the right questions. I see better analysis on this very issue by online independent video journalism without agendas.

[xpshen]

The origin of virus is scientific question, which need to be figure out by the scientists. The first reported patient is not equal to the first patient. China is a big county with so much people, which is a good place for virus outbreak, but we can not say the virus origin from wuhan China. Recently, France scientist also reported that the virus spread in France is different from that in China, thus it is hard to make the conclusion right now.

[muralibabu]

China imported medical equipment from around the world in December and January and now selling it. Guys come on. At least be normal Human Beings

[benjamindje]

He is enjoying freedom of speech in the U.K. but couple months ago they put Chinese doctor in the prison for telling the truth. Disgraceful

[itsChris]

This Chinese ambassador is obviously terrified of giving the "wrong" answer incase he gets disappeared by his CCP bosses

[Artes]

It could have been discovered first in Wuhan but no one knows who is to blame for putting it there.

[Roulandus-le-Fartere]

I see the rhetoric sent from Beijing to the Chinese Ambassador for Australia has been distributed worldwide. Maintain the facade all you like, lies repeated adnauseum are still lies.

[gomezyolo]

You can never have a straightforward conversation with these people.

[xiexianming]

No matter what you say and no matter what the real truth is, what they care is how to get someone to BLAME.

[lalachencst]

If China would be yet another democratic country like UK or US, it would have provided transparent information to its society but fail to control the disease efficiently just like US; in fact the spread would have been much much wider in China and to the rest of the world. But still China would not be criticised by the western media and politicians, because it is "democratic) (look at Brazil for an example). Today, China is one of the few countries in the world that have successfully contained the virus and provided free health care for its people for this disease, yet it is singled out as the goat-keeper. How iconic!!

[jiatrajan]

“Why you want to come to the UK”
"I want to learn the skill of how to brainwash people"
"No, that doesn't exist here, we are a democracy and freedom
"Yes, that's exactly what I want to learn"

[TonkaGoldman-xdiw]

They are oblivious to the fact that we are not listening to them any more.

[andylim]

Let’s put it this way. All the Asian neighbouring countries have prepared well while the farther countries have been relatively underprepared despite longer lead time. The main reason for the spread of virus was the complacency as they don’t believe that the virus can spread so far away.

[lenaeujane]

"YOu depend too much on Washington Post" BOOM!

[icystrangers]

If the first country that reports a problem gets the blame, there will be widespread cover-up everywhere. By time the crisis surfaces, it will be difficult to tell its origin. That's the level humanity is at, and we have to live with it. Politicking only cements the problem.

[dierkniessen]

Dierk Niessen:



Following this interview, I really had the impression, that the interviewer aggressively pressured the Chinese
Ambassador into a tight corner, leaving him no space to breathe.

It is amazing to me, that a country, like the UK, having a history, together with the USA, of being engaged for decades, building and keeping-up the cold war against Russia and China, are again on an accusing course and pointing a finger in a most aggressive fashion. Off course, it shows a clear pattern, by making others responsible for their own inability to deal with the out-
brake. Viruses are here on the planet, as long as humans exist.



The USA should rather be busy, cleane-up the environmental mess (nuclear trash deposits, lying around),

and helping to prevent further destruction. Otherwise, it may look like the real virus on this planet, are some humans, which the planet should effectively get rid of.

[susguy]

It's crazy how intense conversations have become over information... he said, she said...

[ewi]

Rude Talk not Hard Talk. Why go into an interview looking for answers you insist on hearing?

[magshuang]

For those who wants to understand better how Chinese government tried to use your language and answers your questions in your language. Perhaps it’s better for you to learn their language and ask questions in Chinese and stop being so rude to continue interrupt the Chinese to provide their answers.

[郑三齐]

what about changing "HARDtalk" to "HARDinterupt"?