By James T. Areddy and Liza Lin
SHANGHAI -- The U.S. government was preparing to evacuate by air
hundreds of Americans from central China on Wednesday in response
to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, as Beijing criticized
Washington's overall response as unhelpful.
In the second such operation in a week following the December
outbreak, two jetliners landed Tuesday in Wuhan to fly roughly 530
people to the U.S. in the evacuation, a person familiar with the
planning said.
On the way into China, the two jetliners carried shipments of
private aid -- moves that followed several days of criticism from
Beijing about U.S. policy following the outbreak of the
coronavirus, which has killed hundreds of people and infected more
than 20,000, the most in and around Wuhan city.
Days after the first flight on Jan. 28 evacuated more than 200
diplomats, their family members and other U.S. citizens, the U.S.
called on all Americans still in mainland China to leave the
country. Major U.S. airlines, meanwhile, suspended flights -- moves
that have been widely echoed around the world as concerns grow
about the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus.
China's Foreign Ministry, meantime, has singled out the U.S.
government for criticism on a near-daily basis, characterizing its
moves as irresponsible and antagonistic.
"The U.S. government hasn't provided any substantial assistance
to us, but it was the first to evacuate personnel from its
consulate in Wuhan, the first to suggest partial withdrawal of its
embassy staff, and the first to impose a travel ban on Chinese
travelers," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told
reporters on Monday. "All it has done could only create and spread
fear, which is a bad example."
Ms. Hua instead lavished praise on a number of countries that
she said have sent aid to China: South Korea, Japan, the U.K.,
France, Turkey, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Iran, Belarus and
Indonesia. She also praised the United Nations Children's Fund.
China's sharp criticism adds to complications in the U.S.-China
relationship built up in recent years over technology and trade,
among other issues. The dust is just now settling from a two-year
trade dispute following a first-stage deal signed in January,
though outstanding issues remain in that realm too.
On Jan. 31, the U.S. responded to a World Health Organization
designation of China's viral outbreak as a "public-health emergency
of international concern" by raising its travel alert for China to
the highest level -- "Do Not Travel" -- as well as imposing new
checks on arrivals from China, which was followed by the suspension
of service to China by major U.S. air carriers.
Those moves were followed by similar travel alerts by other
countries and the suspension of flight service to China by roughly
30 global carriers, though some of the first steps to limit entry
of visitors from China were taken by North Korea and Singapore --
countries that have long enjoyed close relations with Beijing.
"The U.S. government is coordinating closely with the [People's
Republic of China] government to deliver humanitarian assistance
and to evacuate additional U.S. citizens from Wuhan," a spokesman
for the U.S. Embassy said in response to Ms. Hua's criticism.
Aid to China from the U.S. is coming from private sources, with
the help of American authorities. Donations of protective equipment
from aviation giant Boeing Co. and two faith-based charities, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah and Samaritan's
Purse in North Carolina, for instance, were being flown into Wuhan
on this week's U.S. government-organized flights, according to a
person familiar with the U.S. plan.
"We saw the comment from China's Foreign Ministry, and to be
honest it did sting," said Ker Gibbs, the president of the American
Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. "I understand it was directed at
the government, but we couldn't help feeling a bit lumped into a
category."
The business organization says more than 60 of its member
companies have pledged or donated cash and equipment worth more
than $38 million to local governments and charities in China since
the start of the virus outbreak, including nine companies that
donated at least $1.4 million each.
Honeywell International Inc. said in a statement it supplied 20
million masks and air and water purification systems, and is
producing more safety products in answer to government calls.
Coca-Cola Co. donated beverages and McDonald's Corp. sent meals to
medical staff in more than 160 hospitals. Texas-based chemical
maker Celanese Corp. responded to a request from the city of
Nanjing by providing 3,000 masks and 100 protective suits.
On Jan. 29, Boeing and the Church of Jesus Christ, whose
adherents are commonly known as Mormons, issued separate statements
outlining their contributions to China, which includes 250,000
masks from Boeing and 220,000 from the church. Samaritan's Purse
donated 78 pallets of medical supplies and personal protective
equipment to Hubei.
Huang Ping, the Chinese consul general in New York, echoed the
Foreign Ministry's critical comments on Tuesday, but also
acknowledged the U.S. pledge to send experts from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to join the World Health
Organization effort in China fighting the virus. He expressed
appreciation to U.S.-based companies that have donated cash,
supplies and expertise. "People from the U.S. and all over the
world have offered massive support to ending and controlling this
outbreak," he said.
Support from China's Foreign Ministry has been essential for
getting the American evacuation planes into Wuhan, the center of
the outbreak. Similar evacuations have flown out Europeans,
Japanese and other foreign nationals.
The latest U.S. flights, which are expected to take off early
Wednesday, come roughly a week after the first evacuation, which
ferried 210 Americans to California, where they remain in
quarantine. Further air evacuations from China are being planned
for as early as Thursday, according to a U.S. Embassy
statement.
Officials wouldn't say where this week's flights will land.
However, four military bases in California, Colorado and Texas have
prepared for the arrival of coronavirus evacuees.
Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and Travis Air Force
Base, about 50 miles northwest of San Francisco, said on social
media that they have cleared space for the arrivals and are hosting
base town-hall meetings to answer questions. Fort Carson, near
Colorado Springs, is ready for potential evacuees but hasn't been
informed of any specific arrivals yet, a spokesman said. The Marine
Corps Air Station Miramar, near San Diego, is also prepared for
evacuees, according to the Department of Defense.
As with the first evacuation, U.S. citizens will be expected to
cover the cost of the operation. Prospective passengers have been
told that the cost of the flight alone will be about $1,000, and
that other costs may apply.
Some Americans were unable to depart on the first flight a week
ago, including at least two families with small children who were
tripped up by bureaucratic snafus.
Those people are now expected to be on the new flight, including
Hermione Dickey, an eight-year-old American who has lived most of
her life in China and missed the initial flight because she didn't
have her passport with her, as reported earlier in The Wall Street
Journal. Hermione's father, James Dickey, says he has since
delivered the passport to American diplomats. Hermione will fly
with her mother, Priscilla.
--Elizabeth Findell and Alejandro Lazo contributed to this
article.
Write to James T. Areddy at james.areddy@wsj.com and Liza Lin at
Liza.Lin@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 04, 2020 18:42 ET (23:42 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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