The facts are very clear. The US, out of its long-standing ideological bias against China, has continuously escalated its political oppression and unreasonable restrictions on Chinese journalists. This is simply intolerable.

　　我想再次强调，中方始终欢迎各国媒体和记者依法依规在中国从事采访报道工作，并将继续提供便利和协助。中方反对的是针对中国的意识形态偏见，反对的是借所谓新闻自由炮制假新闻，反对的是违反新闻职业道德的行为。 　　I would like to stress once again that China welcomes media and journalists from all over the world to do their job in China in accordance with laws and regulations and we will continue to provide convenience and assistance. What we oppose is ideological bias towards China, fake news in the name of press freedom, and violation of professional ethics.

　　至于《华尔街日报》发表辱华文章，公然选用带有强烈种族歧视色彩的标题，这在任何国家都不可接受。这一立场我们此前已经多次阐述。

　　The Wall Street Journal published an insulting article with a blatantly racist headline, which is unacceptable in any country. Our position has been repeated many times earlier on.

　　3

　　路透社记者：今天，《纽约时报》、《华盛顿邮报》、《华尔街日报》发表了致中国政府的公开信，呼吁中国政府改变“驱逐”三家媒体驻华记者的决定。你读过这封公开信吗?中方是否会重新考虑这一决定?

　　Reuters: The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal published an open letter today, calling for the Chinese government to change its decision to expel their journalists. Have you seen the letter and is China going to reconsider?

　　耿爽：我还没有看到你提到的这封信。但我记得，此前我们在记者会上明确说过，中方日前对有关美国媒体采取的措施完全是对近年来美方无理打压中国媒体驻美机构作出的必要反制，属于正当合理防卫。造成当前局面的起因和责任都不在中方。如果哪家美国媒体，包括你提到的这三家媒体，有什么意见，他们应当向美国政府去申诉。

　　Geng Shuang: I haven't read this letter yet. But as I recall, we made it very clear on this podium that the measures taken by the Chinese side against relevant US media are all necessary countermeasures and legitimate self-defense in response to US unreasonable oppression of Chinese media in recent years. We are not the reason and the responsible party for the current situation. If any US media agencies, including those you mentioned, have any problems with it, they should raise the complaints to the US government.

　　至于要求中方重新考虑这一决定，我们也曾经多次说过，当务之急是美方立即改弦更张、改正错误，停止对中国媒体的政治打压和无理设限。

　　As for whether China will reconsider the decision, I shall say the top priority for now is that the US should change its wrong course immediately and stop political oppression and unwarranted restriction against Chinese media.

　　4

　　中国日报记者：中方已经多次就美方少数人使用“中国病毒”、“武汉病毒”的说法表达不满和反对，但美国国务卿蓬佩奥23日发推特时仍然使用了“武汉病毒”的说法。中方对此有何进一步评论?

　　China Daily: China has deplored and rejected the phrase "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus" used by a few individuals in the US. However, US Secretary of State Pompeo still used "Wuhan virus" in his tweet on March 23. Do you have anything more to say on this?

　　耿爽：中方已经多次重申，美方个别人处心积虑地将新冠病毒同中国相联系，不断地对中国搞污名化。中国人民对此强烈义愤、坚决反对。世卫组织和国际社会都明确反对将病毒与特定国家和地区相联系，反对搞污名化。

　　Geng Shuang: The Chinese side has repeated many times that some people in the US have been seeking by every means to link the virus with China and stigmatize China. This was met with strong indignation and firm objection from the Chinese people. WHO and the international community explicitly oppose linking the virus with any specific country or region and reject stigmatization.

　　联合国秘书长古特雷斯表示，在与新冠肺炎大流行的斗争中，种族歧视和偏见行为是可耻的，必须始终与种族主义和歧视做斗争。欧盟外交与安全政策高级代表博雷利表示，病毒没有国籍，面对全人类共同挑战，应当选择合作与多边主义，而非竞争和相互指责，不应当随意诉诸“中国病毒”等说法。世卫组织认为，应避免将新冠病毒称为“中国病毒”，现在应是团结的时刻、尊重事实的时刻、共同抗击疫情的时刻。 　　UN Secretary-General António Guterres said "it is shameful to see increasing acts of racial discrimination and prejudice as we fight the COVID19 pandemic" and "we must always fight racism and prejudice". EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said the virus knows no border and we need cooperation and multilateralism, instead of competition and recrimination, in face of the common challenge for mankind. It is not the time for countries to blame one another with terms like "Chinese virus". WHO believes that we should avoid calling it "Chinese virus". Now is the moment for solidarity, for respecting facts and for fighting together.

　　近日，美国国内不少有良知的有识之士也都公开发声，对个别人使用“中国病毒”的说法表示反对，认为这是赤裸裸地宣扬种族主义和排外心理。他们认为，将病毒称为“中国病毒”将使民众处于种族主义和暴力的危险之中，新冠病毒使所有人都受到了影响，需要携手应对，而不是仇外式地散布恐惧。很多美国主流媒体及多家智库机构也都对美国个别人的荒谬言论提出了强烈批评。 　　Some in the US who can still see things clearly have publicly opposed the saying of "Chinese virus", pointing out that it is bald-faced racism and xenophobia. They believe that calling it "Chinese virus" will expose certain people under the risk of racism and violence. The novel coronavirus affects everyone and needs to be tackled with joint efforts, instead of fear-mongering in a xenophobic way. Many mainstream media and think tanks in the US have also strongly criticized the absurd remarks made by certain American individuals.

　　近一时期，中美之间有一些关于病毒源头的争论。我想指出，挑起这场争论的恰恰是美方，首先称病毒起源于中国，首先使用“中国病毒”、“武汉病毒”说法的也是美方。根据媒体报道，早在3月6日，蓬佩奥就公开对外使用“武汉病毒”的提法，此后美方一些政客和高官持续不断地借此污名化中国，引起中国人民的极大义愤和强烈反对。白纸黑字，言犹在耳，美方是抵赖不了的。 　　Recently, there have been some arguments between China and the US about the origin of the virus. I want to point out that it was the US side that started this argument. It was also the US that first claimed that the virus originated in China and used such terms as "Chinese virus" and "Wuhan virus". According to media reports, as early as March 6, Pompeo started to use "Wuhan virus" in public remarks. Since then, some US politicians and senior officials have been using this term to stigmatize China, causing great anger and strong opposition from the Chinese people. What I just cited are public records. There is no way for the US to deny this.

　　最后，我们还是希望美方个别人能够倾听国际上和国内的理性声音，停止继续发表对中国进行污名化的错误言论。我们希望他们能够明白，采用混淆视听、甩锅别国的伎俩，使用“中国病毒”、“武汉病毒”的说法无助于美国战胜疫情挑战，也无助于抗疫国际合作。美方的当务之急是集中精力做好自己的事情，与中方以及国际社会一道，为抗击疫情的国际合作做出有益贡献。