OPINION PAPER

Date December 05, 2020

To Atty. Anton Luis A. Avila
From SIAGAN, Jobelee V.
Module II-D

CHINA AND COVID-19

China as a country
China is the largest of all Asian countries and has the largest
population of any country in the world. Occupying nearly the entire
East Asian landmass, it covers approximately one-fourteenth of the
land area of Earth. Among the major countries of the world, China is
surpassed in area by only Russia and Canada, and it is almost as
large as the whole of Europe. [1] We can say that Chinese people
can be found anywhere in the world. They are very engaging in terms
of business which is very evident here in our country, the Philippines.

Chinese Culture
In Chinese culture, foods have been used as symbols of
meaning in many occasions, to impart different information. Chinese
dates mean that the couples can have children early; peanuts, also
known as the longevity fruit, mean longevity; oranges and chestnuts
mean good luck; rice cakes, promotion year; seaweed is a homonym
of rich; noodle is long, which means health and longevity; and
glutinous rice balls means the family stay together. [2] I believe this is
a manifestation that Chinese culture is vast in symbolism of things
and rich in culture and tradition in general.

Exotic Foods
Humankind has hunted animals for food since the dawn of
civilization, and hunting remains an activity vital for the survival of
certain indigenous peoples. Even among those who rely on
domesticated animals for their primary food source, eating wild
beasts and fowl remains an enjoyable diversion. Perhaps it is a
genetic memory of one’s rugged ancestors taking down an ox with
their spears and arrows or it is merely another way of showing off the
wealth that allows one to gain access to the rare and precious.

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 The consumption of game has a long history in China. It was
even codified among the ruling class during the Zhou dynasty (circa
1046–256BC). In Rites of the Zhou, which describes a putative
organization of the bureaucracy, the royal chef oversaw the
identification and preparation of “six domesticated animals, six beasts
and six birds”. [3]

Hence, we can say that eating exotic foods is not only done or
practiced in China alone but even elsewhere. Here in the Philippines,
some Filipinos are also fond of eating exotic foods like monitor
lizards, wild cats, civets and the likes. This only means that we
cannot put a blame on China alone and mock its citizens for eating
exotic foods well in fact we also do the same.

COVID-19 Pandemic
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global
health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced
since World War Two. [4] The first human cases of COVID-19, the
disease caused by the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19,
subsequently named SARS-CoV-2 were first reported by officials in
Wuhan City, China, in December 2019. Retrospective investigations
by Chinese authorities have identified human cases with onset of
symptoms in early December 2019.

While some of the earliest known cases had a link to a wholesale

food market in Wuhan, some did not. Many of the initial patients were
either stall owners, market employees, or regular visitors to this
market. Environmental samples taken from this market in December
2019 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, further suggesting that the
market in Wuhan City was the source of this outbreak or played a role
in the initial amplification of the outbreak. [5]

Realization
I think what transpired should not only be focused on eating
exotic foods alone which was the origin of the virus. The people in
China not particularly the Chinese but those who are fond of eating
exotic foods merely projected such foods as a status symbol. Those
who were capable of having such dishes are considered as elites
because these dishes are very much expensive. In relation to the
spread of the virus, that is another issue that should be addressed
deliberately. Nobody wanted a pandemic to occur. Not any person

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would want what is currently happening right now. The issue would
dwell on what could have been done to prevent its spread globally.
We are looking at the lapses that should have been properly
addressed.

Accountability
Can we hold China responsible for the COVID-19 Pandemic? I
think yes as to government responsibility. The moment the
government became aware of the spreading rumors on an emerging
novel virus, this should have been taken seriously and have been
looked into and verified. News had spread all over social media that
the government did not take it seriously and have shunned down
doctors who have evidently stated that said virus is existing and that it
could be fatal. We cannot hold the people who have eaten exotic
animals where the virus originated but the government itself as
parens patriae.

This is a call for state responsibility. It is the role of the State in

the social order to see to it that members of society acknowledge its
authority and that it governs the people properly. [6] Hence, China
should be held accountable but the attack should not be towards its
people. Discrimination of race is totally uncalled for.

Imposition of Accountability
If China is deemed accountable to the COVID-19 pandemic, it
only means primarily but it does not mean totally. Yes, it is true that
the virus emanated from China but the spread of which is a different
concern because we are talking about a global crisis wherein
pinpointing who to blame is crucial.

If the different nations, or possibly, individual citizens affected

by the virus tend to hold China responsible, they may do so for under
international enforcement, individuals may be brought to justice
before hybrid courts, ad hoc international courts, or before the
International Criminal Court (ICC). Its enforcement against a State
such as China may be brought through court action where the State-
violator may seek redress at the national, regional, or international
courts. [7]

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 Thus, they may file against China on the right to health as
provided for under the United Nations (UN) Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) which entails the entitlements of
the right to a system of health protection which provides equality of
opportunity for people to enjoy the highest attainable level of health.

Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact could have been mitigated if
it were only given utmost attention at first but for now, we can only
hope for the betterment of the world. The virus is novel which is new
and that vaccines are still being formulated. All we need to do is to
unify as a nation in order to combat the wide spreading virus and
settle the differences afterwards. We should consider that when the
COVID-19 in China was out all over the news, the world was in shock
but its gravity did not literally sink in up until numerous countries have
encountered cases of those infected. This means that we have
already been cautioned that this is not a movie like the “zombie
apocalypse” as to infection but reality check it is similar to that. The
cure, whether we believe on the existence of the virus or not, lies
among us which is simply obliging to safety health protocols. This is
not serious but it is dead serious. Our acts can cause a domino
effect. Following such protocols won’t kill.

Reference/s:
[1]Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/China on
December 5, 2020
[2] Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235261811500065
7 on December 5, 2020
[3] Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-
magazine/short-reads/article/3075756/chinas-history-eating-meat-
not-so-different on December 5,2020
[4] Retrieved from
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/coronavirus.html on
December 5, 2020
[5] Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-
source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200423-sitrep-94-covid-
19.pdf on December 5, 2020
[6] [CITATION Pep13 \l 13321 ]
[7] Id.

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