any attempt of politicising the issue or stigmatisation must be rejected

[GoodTaste]

On Sept 22, 2020, US President Donald Trump gave a combative address to the UN General Assembly referring to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as the “China virus”. He demanded that China was held accountable for “unleash[ing] this plague onto the world”. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who addressed the General Assembly after Trump, urged nations affected by COVID-19 to “follow the guidance of science...and launch a joint international response to beat this pandemic”. He added that “any attempt of politicising the issue or stigmatisation must be rejected”. 9 days later, Trump tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Source: The Lancet - China's successful control of COVID-19

Does the phrase "any attempt of politicising the issue or stigmatisation must be rejected" refer to "any attempt of politicising the issue or stigmatisation (of this issue/of any country) must be rejected"? The problem in understanding is stigmatisation (of what) - of this issue or of any country, or something else?

 

[Glizdka]

Not a teacher. Not a politician.
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I believe Xi Jinping's words are a direct response to Donald Trump's notion that China is responsible and should be held accountable.

When you stigmatize someone, you make them look like "the bad guy", worthy of disgrace and contempt. I think Xi Jinping is saying that Donald Trump shouldn't be stigmatizing China, specifically, because Donald Trump's words targeted China, specifically.

At the same time, Xi Jinping's sentence looks like it's more general, on the surface at least. Perhaps, he wants to make it clear that not only China shouldn't be stigmatized, but any other country for that matter.

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I do not side with either gentlemen. I'm simply trying to analyze the sentence in this context.

 

[GoodTaste]

The meaning was clear, of course. The question is in the grammar: Of the issue or of any country.

 

[Glizdka]

Country.

 

[GoesStation]

The former president was not a careful speaker. He should have said "any attempt at politicizing" or "to politicize the issue".

 

[GoodTaste]

Country.

How do you collocate "stigmatisation" with "country" and make it grammatical? - that is the question.

 

[Glizdka]

The former president was not a careful speaker. He should have said "any attempt at politicizing" or "to politicize the issue".

It was said by Xi Jinping, not Donald Trump.

I don't know if Xi Jinping speaks English. It could be someone else's translation of what Xi Jinping originally said in Chinese.

 

[Glizdka]

How do you collocate "stigmatisation" with "country" and make it grammatical? - that is the question.

Are you asking about the preposition? It's of.

Care needs to be taken to ensure there is no stigmatization of children based on their home circumstances.

Cambridge

There is a need to combat the stigmatization of people with mental disorders.

Oxford

 

[Tdol]

You can see the anti-stigmatisation efforts in labelling variants alpha/beta, etc, rather than British/Indian, etc.