The Prague Cardinal referred to the New Coronavirus as a Chinese biological weapon. Although local scholars and Chinese diplomats immediately refuted this, the story reflects the growing equation of Beijing with the unpopular Eastern European communist regime of the past by some local elites.
New Coronavirus is a biological weapon, China refutes
The famous Czech Cardinal Duka said that the New Coronavirus is “a biological weapon of China”. Speaking at a sermon at St. Vitus Episcopal Church in Prague in early February, Duka said that military experts around the world know the source of the New Coronavirus leak, but they are just too afraid to speak about it, too scared to speak about it, and too unlikely to speak out.
The Czech Catholic leader’s remarks were first reported by the local CNN PRIMA NEWS and later heavily reprinted and quoted by other Czech media, including the official Russian media, in many outlets.
The Moscow-based RIA Novosti news agency reported on Feb. 16 that Gerges, a prominent Czech immunologist, criticized the cardinal’s remarks as spreading false information. He said he was himself a Catholic but was uncomfortable with having such a cardinal leading the Czech Catholic Church. He argued that those who say the new coronavirus is synthetic are doing so for political and ideological purposes.
The Chinese Embassy there also issued a statement on Feb. 17 demanding that Cardinal Duka correct his errors and eliminate the bad publicity. Chinese diplomats said the source of the new coronavirus is a complex scientific issue and should not replace scientific research with bending and suspicion. The cardinal’s remarks are unsubstantiated, defamatory and stigmatize China.
Cardinal’s influence high, incident causes repercussions
Duka is a cardinal of the Catholic Archdiocese of Prague. His church, St. Vitus Episcopal Church, located in Prague Castle, is the largest Catholic church in the Czech Republic. At 78 years old, the cardinal has both a large following and a lot of criticism because he often speaks out against the political situation in the Czech Republic.
But Cardinal Duka has always been considered to have close ties to Czech politics. He is considered a close ally of former President and former Prime Minister Klaus. Klaus, who has been very influential in Czech and European politics to this day, was a major player in helping to transition the Czech economy from planned to free market after the country’s democratization. As a young man, Klaus participated in the Prague Spring movement, later organized academic salons to discuss market economy theory despite the risks during the communist rule, and later participated in the Velvet Revolution with former President Havel and joined the cabinet of the government led by Havel.
The Czech society has a strong religious atmosphere, and Catholicism has a huge influence. The claim that the New Coronavirus is a biological weapon from China was not made by an ordinary citizen, but by an influential Czech religious leader during a sermon in one of the largest Catholic churches, which attracted a lot of attention.
Not surprisingly, the comments were made after a difficult experience
During the communist era, Cardinal Duka and his Family had a very difficult Life. During World War II, Duka’s father joined the British-formed Czechoslovak Legion to fight against Hitler’s Nazi fascists. After the war, his father returned Home only to be persecuted by the communist regime already in power in Czechoslovakia.
Duka himself completed his theological Education early in life, but was forbidden to practice his religion for a long Time, so he had to go underground to preach and promote theological education in secret. In 1981, Duka was arrested and sentenced for distributing religious propaganda while violating official religious supervision laws. Duka served time in the same prison as Havel, a former Czech president and prominent former dissident.
Some observers say that Cardinal Duka’s comments about China should not be surprising if they are aware of his experiences.
China remains the same, but it is hard to change the negative impression
Russian current affairs commentator Nikolsky said that in many parts of China churches have been destroyed and crosses removed in recent years, and some priests and believers have been arrested, while religious gatherings and religious publications have been prevented. The media in the Czech Republic, as well as in other Eastern European regions, including Russia, have given a lot of coverage to the situation of religions in China, which has led to a negative Perception of China among the Czech religious community, some elites and the public.
Nikolski said that because Czechs’ religious freedom has been restricted in the past, it is natural and easy for Czech society to equate China with the unpopular Eastern European communist system of the past.
What is happening in China immediately evokes historical memories in Czech society,” he said. Back then, Czechs were forbidden to attend church services and risked being arrested if they attended gatherings for large religious holidays. Distributing Bibles and other religious materials would also be subject to criminal investigation. “
What is very bad for Beijing is that the situation for religious believers is not improving in China, which is instead pushing diplomacy in Eastern Europe, which naturally causes a backlash from local societies and some elites with a history of political persecution, Nikolski said.
Increasingly, they are being treated badly in Eastern Europe
Czech President Zeman is known to be pro-Beijing and pro-Moscow. China also sent masks and other medical protection supplies to the Czech Republic last year after the outbreak. But despite China’s efforts to cultivate relations with the Czech Republic, it has struggled to change the negative perception of China in the local community.
Czech officials recently banned China from participating in the construction of Czech nuclear power plants. The president of the Czech Senate and the mayor of the capital, Prague, have also visited Taiwan in a delegation. The city of Prague and Beijing have cancelled their friendship city relations. In annual reports published in recent years, the Czech security services have identified China and Russia as the main threats to national security almost every year.
In addition to the Czech Republic, China has begun to experience an increasingly cold reception in other Eastern European countries.
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