Thread by @mimihhsun

“To be honest, I don’t give a damn if that boy with #hemophilia just died in Wuhan...Why not just die in #China?”

Those are words of Taiwanese internet celebrity Chen Yee #陳沂, now agreed by many on social media.
#coronavirus #COVID19 #武漢肺炎

The kid had previously made headlines bc he was in urgent need of medical supplies but was stranded in #Hubei. Local media had used him as a symbol for at-risk groups to press the govt to made evacuation plans.
#coronavirus

But since locals found out that his mum was born & raised in #China and has posted pro-Chinese comments on Facebook, public opinion divided. More people like Chen believe that it’s a waste of resources, & that they don’t deserve it.

Note: Both kid & mum hold a TW passport.

#Taiwan’s govt has done a good job so far not politicizing the #coronavirus outbreak & making sure to separate PRC w the Chinese people. So have most Taiwanese.

But this event highlights the growing adversary towards #Chinese nationals in #Taiwan. That sentiment is increasingly justified in the name of epidemic prevention.
#Coronavirius #COVID19 #新冠肺炎

How the govt reacts in the following days & weeks to come will likely have a lasting effect in the society & cross-strait relations.