For several weeks now, United States President Donald Trump continues to hurl accusations towards China over the alleged coronavirus cover-up.
The U.S. President claims that the Chinese government did not make all the necessary efforts to curb the spread of the virus. Speaking to the media, he also suggests that China will bear the economic brunt that comes with this coronavirus pandemic.
In retaliation, the Chinese government charges President Trump’s government of willful ignorance. Beijing is not backing down either, claiming that the U.S. is mishandling the pandemic. Moreover, it charges President Trump’s administration of attempted blackmail.
The political turmoil between the two superpowers is on display almost every day. As a result, national security experts and political strategists claim that if tensions do not subside, it can erupt into a full-blown cold war.
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Rachel Esplin Odell comments:
“This is such a dangerous dynamic for the world. Both governments are trying to profit domestically off the other’s failures.”
Cold War in the making
Experts on global politics note that the China-U.S. diplomatic tie is at its lowest for nearly 50 years. With the current U.S. administration adopting a more isolationist policy, China is capitalizing and has been making moves to further its agenda.
Before the recent coronavirus pandemic, the two superpowers have been at each other’s throat. The two countries are now changing tactics, ditching trade tariffs in exchange for political accusations.
#BREAKING: #Wuhan lab "most likely" #coronavirus source, #US government analysis find
A Wuhan laboratory is the “most likely” source of the outbreak. It concludes that other explanations for the origin of the coronavirus are less credible.https://t.co/hR9I7qkey1
— Indo-Pacific News – Geo-Politics & Defense (@IndoPac_Info) April 29, 2020
One prominent source of tension is the allegation that the coronavirus leak from a laboratory backed by the Chinese government. While many pandemic experts believe the virus came from a Wuhan wet market, some top U.S. officials continue to insist on this narrative.
Because of the tensions, political experts warn that the coronavirus pandemic will have a lasting effect on the diplomatic ties of these two superpowers. As a result, some are even commenting that a full-blown Cold War is a possibility.
How the world reacts
With China and the U.S. continuing to hurl allegations against each other, the rest of the world is watching. Some countries are calling to end the diplomatic showdown. Instead, focus on how to mitigate the spread, if not completely eradicate the virus.
As the two superpowers are blaming each other over the origin of the coronavirus, the European Union is calling for an independent investigation. Furthermore, many European states express their support to launch an independent investigation.
The spread of the coronavirus is far from over. Political experts agree that the China-U.S. diplomatic ties will never be the same even after the pandemic is over.
Image courtesy of Dan Scavino/Wikimedia Commons