Ambassador Xu answered questions regarding anti-racism in the interview with Volkskrant
2020/02/04
       How do the Dutch people react to the Chinese people?

Generally speaking, I think the reaction of Dutch people is normal. In the meantime, we have also noticed that a few cases of discrimination against Chinese people occurred in some communities. But those are just isolated cases. In some other countries, there are comics and pictures using the epidemic as a weapon to insult China  ...

Do you mean the Chinese flag cartoon in the Danish newspaper and the "Made in China" written on the cover of the German Der Spiegel?

No similar cases have been found in the Netherlands so far. I just want to emphasize that some countries say "it is freedom of speech or freedom of expression", while I don't think using the epidemic as a weapon to attack specific countries and specific races is a right way of excercising freedom of speech and expression. It is not only immoral, but also against human rights and constitutes racial discrimination. Even if an individual wants to express such a point of view, the newspaper or magazine should think about what kind of values they want to convey to the public by making it published. Accepting such behavior means a moral decline. From another perspective, at the government level, the governments assume international obligations to prevent, condemn and prohibit acts of racial discrimination under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which is a core international treaty in human rights. If a government does nothing in this regard, and even considers racial discrimination to be a way of excercising freedom of speech or expression,that government has not fulfilled its responsibility to protect human rights.

So you think the Dutch government should do something to prevent such publications? Or it should take the initiative to stop such words and deeds when  discovered?

My hope is that such situation will not happen in the Netherlands. But if it happens, I would like to see the Dutch government take on their international obligations. Nowadays China is facing severe challenges in public health security. Similar infectious disease crises have occurred in Africa and the United States before, and may occur in other countries in the future. This kind of non-traditional security threat crosses national borders,and is beyond the will of human being. No country is immune from it alone. What the international community needs to do is to unite as one and respond together, not to stand idly by or even hit others when they are down. At the critical moment when the Chinese people are sparing no efforts to fight the epidemic, some people did not give sympathy and support, but instead carried out unwarranted attacks, taunts and even insults on the Chinese people who had made great efforts and sacrifices. Do they have conscience? Do thet have the bottom line of civilization?