(VOVWORLD) - Relations between the US and China are once again in the spotlight, with the US repeatedly accusing China of intentionally concealing information about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and causing the global COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on China as a punitive measure.
 (File photo: AP) |
The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the already tense relations between the US and China. The pandemic broke just after the two countries signed the 2nd phase of a trade agreement early this year.
US accusations
In a telephone call in early February, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump pledged to cooperate to fight COVID-19. But so far the public has seen little cooperation. Observers say it’s unrealistic to expect US-China relations to improve because of a pandemic. On the contrary, accusations of a lack of transparency on China’s part have triggered a flurry of accusations and threats.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on ABC TV that there is “enormous evidence” the coronavirus outbreak originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, China.
President Donald Trump told a press conference at the White House on April 30th that he is concerned about China’s role in the origination and spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. He said China might have been unable to contain the virus or might have intentionally allowed the infection to spread.
Trump said: “They signed a trade deal where China was supposed to buy, and they’ve been buying a lot, actually, but now becomes secondary to what took place with the virus. The virus situation is just not acceptable.”
There are rumors that the US will enact punitive measures against China for concealing information about the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Negative impacts
Analysts say US-China relations are unlikely to improve until the pandemic subsides.
China has responded with indignation to the US accusations. China says it has behaved openly, transparently, and responsibly in the fight against the pandemic, that it shared information and cooperated with other countries as early as possible.
The number of COVID-19 cases has reached 3.6 million, including over 250,000 deaths. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday lamented a lack of leadership by world powers and a divided international community in the fight against the coronavirus as he raised concern about inadequate support for poor countries. He underlined that the contributions of China and the US to the fight against COVID-19 and to all other aspects of international relations are absolutely essential.