"NO CHINA" Signs of Spread in China Boycott Movement Over Wuhan Pneumonia

"Chinese Nuisance Beyond Description"

As fear of Wuhan pneumonia spreads, a boycott movement against China is emerging domestically. [Source - Screenshot from online community]

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] As fear of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) spreads nationwide, signs of a boycott movement against China, the virus's epicenter, are emerging.

On the 28th, various online communities featured posters with the phrase "No China," a parody of the phrase "No Japan," which signifies the boycott of Japan.

A netizen who shared a poster reading "I don't want to die" and "I don't want to catch it" encouraged a boycott against China, saying, "The fine dust problem we've been suffering from for years because of China and this Wuhan pneumonia are nuisances from China beyond words."

Moreover, posts calling for a ban on Chinese entry have been appearing on the Blue House's national petition board.

Amid the spreading fear of the novel coronavirus infection known as 'Wuhan pneumonia,' students wearing masks are leaving school on their way home at an elementary school in Seoul on the 28th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

A petition titled "Request to Ban Chinese Entry," posted on the 23rd, gained over 53 supporters within five days. The petitioner explained the reason, saying, "Even North Korea is banning Chinese entry, so I request a temporary ban on entry."

However, some argue that the boycott movement due to Wuhan pneumonia is excessive. They say that boycotts caused by infectious diseases are merely expressions of Sinophobia and rejection against a single country.

Meanwhile, Wuhan pneumonia is rapidly spreading worldwide. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 9 a.m. on the 28th, there were 4,515 confirmed cases in China, with 106 deaths, all confirmed in China.

In Asia, confirmed cases include 8 in Thailand, 8 in Hong Kong, 6 in Macao, 5 in Taiwan, 4 in Singapore, 4 in Japan, 4 in Malaysia, 2 in Vietnam, 1 in Nepal, and 1 in Cambodia, totaling 43 cases. Cases have also been confirmed in the United States (5), Canada (1), France (3), and Australia (5).