Local business owner calls "Chinese virus" term divisive, seeks unity

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — "It's not racist at all. No, not at all. It comes from China, that's why. I think they probably would agree with 100% it comes from China," said President Donald Trump during a White House press conference on Wednesday, regarding previous statements he made where he said the coronavirus was a "Chinese virus".

Now a long-time Sioux City business owner of Chinese descent is taking a stance on Trump's use of those terms.

She's calling it misleading and even harmful to the Asian American community.

Hong Kong Supermarket owner Peggy La expressed her concerns, saying the term was actually coined by the Chinese Communist Party as an attempt to divide the nation.

"It shouldn't be called the Chinese flu, it shouldn't be called Kung Flu, whatever it may be, but we just gotta blame, Chinese Communist Party, the CCP virus, the CCP flu. They were the ones who kept the information hidden from us where it could've been prevented. Using the term Chinese, kind of affects me, because I am part Chinese, and I wish he used a different term," said La.

La said she does not have anything against the President, but rather the use of those terms.