China slams Sydney’s ‘anti-intellectual’ Delta lockdown

China, the nation which pioneered draconian restrictions and even welded residents of Wuhan into their homes to stop the spread of Covid, has condemned Sydney for its use of the military to help enforce lockdown.

China, the nation which pioneered draconian coronavirus restrictions and even welded residents of Wuhan into their homes to stop the spread of Covid-19, has attacked Sydneysiders for their “anti-intellectual” attitudes to the latest citywide lockdowns.

In an editorial in the Global Times newspaper – whose editor once called Australia the “gum on China’s shoe” and which is generally considered a splashy, tabloid take on the Chinese Communist Party’s official line – correspondent Lu Xue also blasted the “double standards” of Australia when it came to the pandemic.

Hu Xijin, editor of the Global Times, who once called Australia “the gum on China’s shoe”.Picture: Simon Song/South China Morning Post

According to the article published Sunday, Australia was happy to criticise China and other nations for using authoritarian tactics to stop the spread of the virus, while then turning around and using them itself.

“Quite ironically, it turns out that Canberra plans to send its military personnel to help enforce social lockdown,” Lu crowed, referring to plans to send ADF personnel to support police in southwest Sydney.

A man wearing a face mask looks over a barricade set up to keep people out of a residential compound in Wuhan. Picture: AFP

Lu failed to mention the move has widely discussed and debated in the press and social media, something that would be entirely impossible in Xi Jinping’s China.

The paper also took a swipe at Australians, saying, “In Australia, a so-called liberal democracy, some of the public tend to be anti-intellectual.

“They ignore the common sense of public health, refuse to wear masks and object to taking vaccines. In a bid to effectively handle the pandemic, Australia has to take drastic measures,” Lu’s editorial continued.

NSW Police will be joined by 300 Australian Defence Force to conduct compliance operations across Sydney. Picture: NSW Police.

Yet bizarrely, and, in what could be seen as an attempt to give ammunition to anti-lockdown protesters seeking to compare NSW to a dictatorship, the article also quoted university professor Chen Hong who approved of the lockdown saying, “Judging from the desperate situation in Sydney and the military reinforcement, Australia is aware that the right to life is the most important human right.”

“Now, it is known to all that Australia’s incessant unwarranted criticism of China in terms of freedom and human rights is not about human rights at all. Instead, Canberra has exploited it to echo Washington’s anti-China policy,” the editorial continued.

Lu’s article ended with a typical threat: “The rapid spread of the Delta variant is complicating global attempts to stem the spread of the virus, and it is high time for global co-operation.

“Co-ordinating the US government’s anti-China strategy by badmouthing China will do no good to Australia.”

Originally published as China slams Sydney’s ‘anti-intellectual’ Delta lockdown