Recently, Italian-American writer Mario Cavolo published a book in Hong Kong, "Something Is Wrong", which tells the real and arduous anti-epidemic process in China in the early days of the epidemic from February to June 2020 with his personal experience as the main line. On November 24, Ma Yijun, who was in Shenyang, was interviewed by Nandu and N video reporters. He said that he hopes to use his personal experience to refute the rumors deliberately spread by some Western countries against China with facts.
Something Is Wrong is Ma Yijun's third book on China. In 1999, he came to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to participate in the international trade business promotion activities before China's accession to the WTO. Since then, he has settled in China to this day.
Ma Yijun told Nandu reporters that he was used to calling China his "home." In the early days of the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, China was criticized and accused from some Western countries, and after experiencing China's strict and orderly anti-epidemic work, he decided to publish this book in advance to "fight against the unjustified accusations of China by some Western countries" and show the world China's anti-epidemic efforts and achievements.
Ma Yijun
【Dialogue with Ma Yijun】
"China's extraordinary experience in fighting the epidemic deserves to be recorded"
Nandu: What was the reason why you decided to publish Something Is Wrong?
Ma Yijun: Historically speaking, the unique and special period from January to June 2020 is worth commemorating. "Commemorate" is a very special word in English, which ostensibly refers to certain things that should be remembered, but more importantly, to remember certain things that deserve to be respected, admired, and appreciated. "Something Is Wrong" is to commemorate this extraordinary experience in China. During this period, I was deeply touched by two points: first, the Chinese government's very rapid, wise and effective response to the COVID-19 epidemic, and secondly, the calm cooperation and consistency of China's 1.4 billion people.
During this special period, these two points show the world the best that can be achieved when the government system is working well under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and we also see that the Chinese government's excellent anti-epidemic work has united the people of the whole country and gathered the people's unlimited trust in the country and the government.
China's success in fighting the epidemic has injected a new sense of pride into the country's people. This deed should be recorded. I believe my book deserves to be known to every Chinese family.
Nandu: What preparations did you make to publish this book?
Ma Yijun: I didn't originally plan to publish this book so quickly. However, in the face of some Western questions about China's prevention and control efforts in the early stages of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, people around me and I believe that publishing books has become very necessary. So we immediately started looking for collaborative support, including a publisher. As an author, I also had to start sorting out the contents of the book right away. After much thought, I decided to structure the book around an original article I had written.
In February 2020, I wrote an article on my social platform titled "Guys, Something's Wrong Here – Comparing the 2009 H1N1 Virus in the United States and The Novel Coronavirus in China in 2020", which became widely known in China and around the world. The article was originally published on February 5, 2020, during the "lockdown" of Wuhan.
The new content of the book can be seen as a diary that continues to tell the story of the fight against the epidemic that took place in China from February 2020 to June 2020. After June of that year, the COVID-19 epidemic has been effectively controlled in China, and the government has known how to deal with the local epidemic.
"Some Western countries deliberately smear China is premeditated"
Nandu: You mentioned the article "Guys, something's wrong here." What kind of response has this article received since its release?
Ma Yijun: First of all, the main point conveyed in this article is that it highly supports the Chinese government's management work during the anti-epidemic period, and strongly opposes the false criticism of China and the continuous demonization of China by Western countries.
To my shock, this was the first time I posted an article on a social platform and was able to get more than a million views in just a few days, along with thousands of comments and shares. The vast majority of comments below the article were positive, with readers raving about the article and the work of the Chinese government. I believe that some of the ideas in the article resonate with the reader.
Nandu: From your personal experience, what experience do you think China's fight against the epidemic is worth learning from for countries around the world?
Ma Yijun: From the current epidemic prevention and control work, we can see that the Chinese government is flexible in management, and the principles on which its work is based are based on comprehensive consideration based on actual conditions. As long as the leaders of government do their duty, the people will benefit, otherwise society will suffer. Thankfully, the Chinese government's management is clear and efficient today, while still striving to improve.
Nandu: How do you think some Western countries deliberately smear China?
Ma Yijun: Obviously, the negative remarks against China are nothing more than a premeditated anti-China propaganda campaign, in which the governments and high-level personnel of some countries, including the United States, are involved, and have received active support from some Western media and institutions. Some influential figures have wantonly spread negative sentiments and erroneous views about China and fabricated lies to brainwash people.
I distinctly remember when I first came to China in 1999, my Chinese friend who invited me said to me very seriously: "When you experience it for yourself, you will find that China is completely different from the stereotypes you have been indoctrinated with." ”
Moreover, over the past few years, it has become clearer that U.S. non-public intelligence agencies, the CIA, and activities funded by the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy deliberately fabricate false statements to discredit China's image. With the above understanding, I began to feel embarrassed and ashamed of the United States, a country that once had an admirable history.
"China is not only my home, but also the safest and most successful country in the world"
Nandu: Why did you choose to settle in China? What was the deepest feeling here?
Ma Yijun: At first, a Chinese friend invited me to his hometown of Chengdu, and then I went to Chongqing. A few months later, I was invited to participate in the promotion of international trade business before China's accession to the WTO, so I decided to stay in China for a long time.
I am fortunate to have been able to live in China for more than two decades, especially in China, where the COVID-19 pandemic has been rapidly brought under control. I have witnessed China gradually become one of the safest and most stable countries in the world, a fact that cannot be discredited by outside forces. At the same time, this fact has been recorded in three books about China that I have written in the past 22 years.
Nandu: Tell me about your life experience in China and your motivation to write a book.
Ma Yijun: I have to say that my understanding of China comes from the life experience I have accumulated in reality. In 1999, I came to China as an entrepreneur and officially began to explore China. Over the past 22 years, I have been both a writer and a commentator, and my work in the media industry has deepened my understanding of China. In 2007, I met my beloved wife and had my own family in China. "Home" is a traditional Chinese virtue and my Chinese complex. After that, like most Chinese, my life was to constantly pursue my interests while being rooted in my family.
I would love to share my insights because China is my home and we should all be proud of China's contribution to the fight against the pandemic. At the same time, we must also fight against the unjustified accusations of China by Western countries. As a writer, entrepreneur, and commentator, my career has also prompted me to continue to express new insights. I was fortunate to come to China to settle down, to see China, and to call China my home. Finally, based on the research materials I have collected for many years, I would like to sincerely say that China has become a rather remarkable country.
China is not only my home, but also the safest, stable, successful and capable country in the world. Through this book, I would like to say that it is time to share this good news with the world!
Producer: Nandu Instant
Written by: Nandu trainee reporter He Jiahui