Photo taken on March 31, 2020 shows the vacant Metro Center Station during rush hour amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

As the number of coronavirus infections in the US passes 2 million, and the country is thrown into total chaos by protests against racial discrimination, China has published Human Rights reports revealing how deep-rooted problems in the US have been highlighted by COVID-19.

The China Society for Human Rights Studies on Thursday published an article titled "The COVID-19 Pandemic Magnifies the Crisis of 'U.S.-Style Human Rights'."

The US government's self-interested, short-sighted, inefficient, and irresponsible response to the pandemic has caused a tragedy in which more than 2 million Americans have become infected with the virus and more than 110,000 have died from it, the article said.

It has exposed the long-existing and now deteriorating problems in the US, such as a divisive society, the polarization between the rich and the poor, racial discrimination, and the inadequate protection of the rights and interests of vulnerable groups, according to the article.

"This has led the American people into grave human rights disasters," it read.

The article pointed out that the US government has ignored pandemic warnings, prioritized capital interests and politicized anti-pandemic efforts in its COVID-19 responses.

It also said the US government has been passing the buck of its missteps in tackling the virus to other countries, sidelining medical experts and using their energy in political battles and infighting between parties. 

It also pointed out the wide wealth gap and the inequality that existed between wealthy and poor groups have been magnified during the pandemic. For example, rich people have access to special channels for getting tested while the poor are not only unable to afford the medical expenses for treating the disease, but have also descended into an existential crisis, as many have lost their jobs during the chaos. 

Global Times