Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has launched an online petition urging the US Congress to probe whether China covered up the COVID-19 outbreak and support Taiwan’s bid to join the WHO.
More than 76,800 people had signed the “Stop Communist China” petition as of last night, three days after it was launched by Haley, who has set a goal of 100,000 signatures.
As COVID-19 continues to devastate the US, more Americans have been calling for China to be held accountable for the spread of the virus.
“China’s communist government needs to be held accountable for their role in lying about the coronavirus pandemic, and the US Congress needs to respond now,” said the former governor of South Carolina, who served as US ambassador to the UN from 2017 to 2018.
“Join us in our fight to stop China from gaining influence in America and around the world. Sign this petition and please share with your friends,” the petition reads.
It calls on Congress to investigate the Chinese government’s role in covering up the initial COVID-19 outbreak, and calls for the manufacturing of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to be brought back to the US to end China’s stranglehold on critically important supplies.
The petition also urges Congress to back Taiwan’s bid to join the WHO.
It urges Congress to make China pay the UN and other international organizations “like the second-largest economy in the world should — no more being treated like a poor ‘developing country.’”
The petition also calls on Congress to require US colleges and universities to disclose all Chinese government funding of professors and researchers.
“We must act and protect American security, health, and prosperity. Retweet and let’s send Congress a message,” Haley said on Twitter on Thursday.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to