Foreign

COVID-19 exposes grim reality of ‘putting money above everything else’ in U.S.

Published

5 years ago

August 18, 2021

When faced with major public health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, governments must try their best to treat patients, save lives and cut all channels for the transmission of the virus. However, in the U.S., which often boasts of being a “beacon of democracy” and “shining example of human rights”, response to the pandemic has always been dominated by capital, and capital, rather than the well-being of the people, is always the top priority of politicians.

The profit-seeking nature of capitalism determines that in the U.S., capital, not lives, is put above everything else, which is both the truth of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and an important reason why the country has failed to control the pandemic.

In the eyes of U.S. politicians, people’s right to be informed and rights to life and health are insignificant compared to capital.

At the beginning of the pandemic, then U.S. leaders deliberately ignored early warnings of the virus and downplayed the risks of the pandemic in a bid to prevent a stock market crash, thus wasting crucial weeks for pandemic prevention and control.

According to The New York Times, White House coronavirus task force and the National Security Council of the U.S. jointly prepared a memorandum on coping with the COVID-19 pandemic on Feb. 14, 2020, suggesting explicitly that a series of strict measures be adopted to control the pandemic. However, U.S. policymakers immediately rejected the memorandum after hearing the judgment that relevant measures would lead to the collapse of the U.S. stock market.

U.S. media reports have also revealed that while telling the American public that there wasn’t much to worry about, many members of the U.S. Congress dumped their stock holdings after being briefed about the emerging threat of the coronavirus and the massive impact it would have upon the economy.

“He ran for the exits when the theater was on fire, while selling tickets to women and children,” a U.S. Internet user commented on a post of the social media account of a U.S. senator who sold stocks amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Caring only about capital and their own interests, such U.S. politicians have led the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the wrong direction from the beginning.

U.S. politicians seem to believe that safeguarding their private finances should always be placed before public health security.

After the pandemic turned into a full-blown crisis in the U.S., the federal government and many state governments hastily reopened the economy before the COVID-19 situation was truly under control, leading to the rebound of the pandemic.

Over the past more than one year, the COVID-19 situation in the U.S. has been trapped in the cycle of “deterioration-alleviation-deterioration”, with peaks frequently appearing on the curve of the COVID-19 infections, which is closely related to the U.S. government’s swinging between pursuing short-term economic interests and safeguarding public health security.

It’s worth noting that the severe COVID-19 situation in the U.S. has been accompanied by an abnormal boom in the country’s stock market, which has benefited the wealthy the most.

Data show that the U.S. stock market has soared after a seismic decline on March 23, 2020. As of January 2021, the combined wealth of more than 600 billionaires in the U.S. had rocketed from about $2.9 trillion to around $4.1 trillion, representing an increase of 38.6 percent compared to their collective net worth in mid-March of 2020.

As the gap between the rich and poor has been further widened by the COVID-19 pandemic, American economist Paul Krugman pointed out bluntly, “America’s response to the coronavirus has been a lose-lose proposition.” The country is “failing dismally on both the epidemiological and the economic fronts,” he wrote in an article published on the website of The New York Times.

It’s shocking that U.S. politicians even used the social Darwinian “law of survival of the fittest” to excuse themselves for their indifference to what people have suffered in the public health crisis.

When asked if it’s right for professional athletes and other well-connected people to get tested for the coronavirus while others can’t, then U.S. President Donald Trump said, “Perhaps that’s been the story of life.”

The answer is very “America”, as in this country, emergency beds are left empty rather than used for treating the poor, officials would rather die than see public health measures damage the U.S. economy, and pandemic control efforts were like a “state-sanctioned killing,” where “the old, factory workers, and black and Hispanic Americans” were deliberately sacrificed.

According to reports, hospital cost for an uninsured COVID-19 patient could reach tens of thousands of dollars in the U.S.

One in seven American adults said that they would avoid seeking medical care if they experienced key symptoms of COVID-19 because they’re afraid of the financial cost of treating the disease, revealed a research jointly conducted by American analytics and advisory company Gallup and non-profit organization West Health.

Acts of “putting capital above everything else” have seriously twisted U.S. response to the pandemic, during which people’s health and lives are merely figures that can sometimes even be neglectable in the ruthless calculation of U.S. politicians.

“Nations, like individuals, reveal themselves at times of crisis,” wrote BBC’s New York correspondent Nick Bryant.

Acting in the interest of capital rather than people in political decision-making is in fact not an accidental phenomenon that just happened during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Policy choices, made over decades, have re¬lent¬lessly favoured the interests of the private sector in general, and large corporations in particular, over both the state and labour, in ways that are proving costly to our health and our economy,” pointed out American business columnist Rana Foroohar.

Through the prism of the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world have seen clearly that the political system of the U.S. was only established to guard capital. The concepts such as democracy, human rights and equality, which have always been flaunted by the U.S. government, have already been distorted by money and become mirages long ago.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Foreign

Sanxingdui Museum transforms ancient relics into interactive experiences

Published

3 days ago

May 31, 2026

Our Reporter

By Song Haoxin, People’s Daily

What if museum visitors could truly interact with cultural relics rather than merely observe them through glass displays? At the Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China’s Sichuan province, a specially designed interactive hall is revolutionizing cultural engagement.

Within this 1,300-square-meter space, nearly every exhibit invites touch, operation, or participation. Visitors immerse themselves in installations inspired by the ancient Shu civilization, blending education with entertainment.

By trying on replicas of headwear on bronze statues discovered in Sanxingdui Ruins, for example, visitors can not only take photos of themselves but also learn about the symbolic meanings behind different headpieces.

Guests can don replicas of bronze statue headwear from the Sanxingdui Ruins, learning their symbolic meanings while capturing photos. Augmented reality allows dancing alongside virtual Sanxingdui figures for social media sharing. A creation zone even enables “time travel” to experience ancient bronze-casting and construction techniques.

These innovations transform traditional museum visits, offering deeper cultural understanding through hands-on interaction. “This hall emerged from extensive brainstorming,” explained Zhu Yarong, deputy director of the management committee of the Sanxingdui Ruins site.

“We’re transitioning from passive relic viewing to interactive engagement, bridging the gap between audiences and history.”

Previously, museum experiences were largely one-directional with limited engagement. Visitors viewed relics through display cases, usually stopping mainly to take photographs, with relatively limited forms of engagement. By liberating artifacts from display cases into interactive settings, Sanxingdui is pioneering a shift from didactic presentation to open cultural dialogue.

Traditional exhibition spaces remain popular, while digital innovations attract growing interest. A VR project employs digital twin technology to recreate 1:1 scale excavation sites — complete with protective shelters and cabins — placing visitors at the archaeological forefront.

Another project, Heaven and Earth Echoes — Sanxingdui Panoramic Sound and Vision Digital Art Theater, features an interactive panoramic LED dome with a diameter of 20 meters and a resolution approaching 16K. The massive dome creates a deeply immersive atmosphere. By waving digital torches in their hands, visitors can trigger sacred birds to circle above them across the dome, experiencing the ancient Shu civilization through an interplay of sound and imagery.

“The digital technology made me feel as if I were racing across the Mamu River. That sense of traveling through time was incredible,” said Hao Yong, a tourist from southwest China’s Chongqing municipality who came specifically to experience a virtual reality program.

From passive observation to active participation, Sanxingdui Museum continues introducing new interactive experiences that transform cultural relics into living carriers of dialogue and engagement, helping keep the sparks of Chinese civilization alive for new generations.

Foreign

A living testimony about MKA: The Aondoakaa that I know Written By Brahms Tor-Ikuan

Published

2 weeks ago

May 19, 2026

milcah

My people of Benue State,

I am not speaking to you today as a politician. I am speaking as a brother whose family was held up by Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa, MKA, when we had no one else to hold onto.

My elder brother, Verem Ukaa-Ikuan, was not just my blood. He was a very dear and close friend to Chief MKA. When my brother fell ill and was diagnosed with liver damage caused by poisoning, MKA didn’t treat it as someone else’s problem. He took it on as his own.

He worked closely with Verem during his time as Attorney General of the Federation, and when the sickness came, he moved immediately. Searches were conducted, and Apollo Hospital in India was earmarked for a liver transplant. Every travel arrangement was made personally by Chief MKA.

But we hit a wall. Verem was too weak to fly a long commercial flight. Only an air ambulance could get him to India alive. At that time, there was only one functional air ambulance in the entire country, owned by Julius Berger. It was completely out of reach for even the most high-profile citizens.

Chief MKA went all out. He did not give excuses. He did not delay. He used every connection and every ounce of influence he had to secure that air ambulance for my brother.

On the day it was secured, Barr. Terna Yaji, his Senior Special Assistant, called me a few minutes after 6pm. He told us to prepare Verem for departure and take him to Makurdi airport very early the following morning. I informed him, my brother passed on at exactly 6 o’clock a few minutes ago. I told Barr. Terna Yaji, and I saw a devastated MKA.

During the burial, Chief MKA was out of the country on national assignment. He was pained that he could not be there physically. His entire team, led by the late Onov Tyuulugh, represented him fully. And his message to us at the burial has never left me:

“If death were law, as the Attorney General, a law would have been made no matter what to ensure Verem will just not die but live forever.”

That is who Mike Kaase Aondoakaa is when nobody is watching. He does not abandon his people. He does not forget. He stood with our family then, and he has stood with us till date.

Now he is asking for the chance to govern Benue State.

Benue needs a governor with a heart like that. A governor who fights for you even when there’s no political gain. A governor who sees you as family, not as a vote.

I am standing with Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa for Governor of Benue State.
For compassion that moves to action.
For loyalty that does not fade.
For leadership that proves itself in the darkest hour.

Join me. Let us give Benue a leader who has already shown what he will do for us.

God bless Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa.
God bless Benue State.

Brahms Tor-Ikuan, a beneficiary of MKA’s benevolence writes from Makurdi

Foreign

China-U.S. relations cannot return to past, but can move toward better future

Published

3 weeks ago

May 16, 2026

Our Reporter

By Guo Jiping

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15.

After many twists and turns, China-U.S. relations have arrived at a new historical juncture. The year 2026 carries special significance for both countries. China is embarking on its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), while the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.

Amidst increasing global uncertainty and volatility, the international community looks to Beijing, hopeful that this high-level engagement will offer clarity and stability for the future trajectory of China-U.S. relations.

Observers note that over the past decade, the relationship has weathered two significant periods of strain. The first began in 2018 with the U.S. initiation of trade tariffs against China. Stabilization was achieved only after extensive dialogue and complex interactions spanning several years. The second period of tension occurred more recently in 2025. Remarkably, the cycle from rising friction to renewed stability unfolded within just a few months this time.

The progression from years-long to months-long stabilization cycles, and from repetitive friction-dialogue patterns towards clearer strategic direction and consensus-building, reflects China’s consistent approach: readiness to negotiate combined with firm adherence to principles and clear boundaries. China’s demonstrated resilience has garnered international respect and created conditions conducive to resolving differences through dialogue.

Today, China-U.S. dialogue occurs on a more equitable basis. Communication is increasingly pragmatic, with clearer articulation of respective bottom lines. This resilience suggests the potential for a new, more stable chapter in the relationship.

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role. Last year, when a wave of tariff tensions rattled the world, the two presidents steered China-U.S. economic and trade ties back on course.

Under the guidance of the consensus reached by the two presidents, the teams from both sides have so far held six rounds of consultations and are currently engaged in a new round of talks.

Since the meeting between the two heads of state in Busan last October, China-U.S. relations have generally maintained a stable and improving momentum — a trend widely welcomed by both peoples and the international community.

The strategic guidance provided by the two heads of state helps identify “dangerous reefs” ahead in China-U.S. relations. The Taiwan question is the most important and most sensitive issue at the very core of China-U.S. relations, and it concerns the political foundation of bilateral ties.

Xi has repeatedly elaborated China’s principled position on the Taiwan question to Trump, emphasizing that Taiwan is China’s territory, and China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan to be separated. Clearly defining principles and bottom lines is precisely the responsible approach needed to prevent serious risks in China-U.S. relations.

The aspiration of the Chinese and American business communities to deepen ties and cooperation has never changed. At present, more than 7,000 Chinese-funded enterprises operate in the United States, while about 80,000 American-invested enterprises are active in China.

These firm choices made at the forefront of the market clearly and powerfully demonstrate the true nature of China-U.S. economic and trade relations: mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

As China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan period, its commitment to high-quality development and high-standard opening up will create broader incremental space for China-U.S. cooperation.

The will of the people stands as a profound and enduring force shaping the trajectory of China-U.S. relations. Whether at those pivotal moments when China and the United States seized every moment to break the ice, or when bilateral relations slid to a low ebb, the sincere aspiration of the two peoples for mutual understanding and friendship has never changed.

As exchanges deepen and produce tangible results, perceptions are improving positively. More Americans are actively participating in fostering people-to-people friendship, contributing greater rationality and constructive perspectives to the relationship.

In the face of profound changes unseen in a century, China and the United States, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the world’s two largest economies, shoulder even greater responsibilities. Promoting global development, safeguarding peace and security, and improving global governance all require cooperation between the two countries.

This year, China will host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the U.S. will host the G20 Summit. Whether the two sides can demonstrate the vision and responsibility expected of major countries, and deliver more tangible benefits to the world, bears directly on the well-being of both peoples and the future of humanity.

China-U.S. relations cannot return to the past, but they can move toward a better future. Both sides should proceed from a sense of responsibility to history, to the people, and to the world, and explore ways to build a strategic, constructive, and stable China-U.S. relationship featuring mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.