China punishes 3 WSJ reporters for racism

Diamond Princess's 500 passengers, who tested negative for Coronavirus, leave the cruise ship in Japan on Wednesday. The death toll in China rises to 2,004 and cases jump to 74,100. PIC/AFP

Beijing: China on Wednesday said it has revoked the press credentials of three reporters for the US newspaper Wall Street Journal over a headline for an opinion column deemed by the government to be racist and slanderous.

The move follows a complaint over the headline, which referred to the current virus outbreak in China and called the country the " Real Sick Man of Asia." In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the Feb. 3 op-ed by Bard College Professor Walter Russel Mead " smears the efforts of the Chinese government and people on fighting (the virus) epidemic." " The editors used such a racially discriminatory title, triggering indignation and condemnation among the Chinese people and the international community," he said.

'Completely chaotic'
A Japanese infectious diseases expert has made waves with videos slamming the government's handling of a quarantined cruise ship. The situation on Diamond Princess was " completely chaotic" and violated quarantine procedures, said Kentaro Iwata, a professor at Kobe University.

" The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of infection control," said Iwata. He said he was so concerned at what he saw on the ship during a brief visit on Tuesday that he has placed himself in a 14-day quarantine. " There was no distinction between the green zone, which is free of infection, and the red zone, which is potentially contaminated by the virus," he added.

Tata's JLR shipping parts in suitcases

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has flown in auto parts in suitcases as the effects of Coronavirus take a toll on the luxury carmaker's supply chains in China. The firm on Tuesday warned that its production schedules in the UK and India are under strain due to its supply chains in China, known as 'the world's factory'. JLR CEO Ralf Speth said the company has enough supplies to ensure production for the next two weeks, but from the third week onwards it remains risky and could even mean plant closures.

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