By RK Sinha
While all others are fighting day and night to defeat Coronavirus,tension is growing between China and America which is akin to the situation after the World War two.President Donald Trump has already suspended funding to the World Health Organisation,accusing it of favouring China.The US is the biggest contributor to WHO funds.As a result the organisation may be in dire straits.He has not stopped at that.The US President has charged China with suppressing death reports.He believes that more people in China has died of Covid-19.The US is way below that.Going ahead,he has announced that a team will be sent to China to find out if the virus was created in Wuhan Institute of Virology .If it is established that the virus was engineered there the US will demand a compensation.China has not so far denied any of the charges.As the saying goes,silence implies confirmation.In any case a doubt has been created and it cannot be easily brushed aside.
The US President has given a logic in support of his death report suppression charge.The countries like the UK,Italy,Spain and France which have advanced medical facilities have reported high death rates.China does no better in terms of facilities than them.How is that then that the death rate in China was only one per cent of total positive cases?It is difficult to believe. He has also said so to a group of journalists and I quote him,”I know it.You also know it.But you do not want to write the factual report and give correct death figures. I do not know why you are doing so.Some day the media will have to explain. I will certainly come out with the reason behind it”.His assessment was based on intelligence reports.
Trump is not alone in believing that the virus has spread from the Chinese lab.French scientist and Nobel Prize winner Prof Luc Montagnier has maintained the same line that it is a man-made virus.He has passed on some additional information.According to him,the institute was trying to come out with a vaccine to control AIDS since the year 2000.The virus was produced during this period.The experiment should have been stopped immediately and measures taken to prevent its spread.But, it seems, the country did not take any such measure and that creates a doubt about its intention.Some other scientists and heads of other states have expressed the same view. Coronavirus has HIV like genome structure.In addition,Prof Luc has said that this virus has come through bats.Also that “patient zero” or the first patient was a scientist working in the same lab.All this does not leave any room for doubt. It is equally true that China maintained secrecy and prevented the report from leaking out.
Many people were infected because it was Chinese new year when the virus carriers were out in large numbers.Big crowds had collected to celebrate at many places including some places in Europe and America.However,President Trump who has to seek reelection this year is facing the heat because he did not take an early action.To control the damage he has hit at China.He has threatened the country with dire consequences.He is unpredictable and can go to any extent for the country.
It is well known how the virus was controlled in China.I would not like to go into those details.But now it is clear that the country has used it as an opportunity to expand business and earn more ,It is now supplying masks and protective kits at a large-scale which seems to have hurt Trump most.
Gradually China was trying to emerge as an economic power.The Coronavirus has provided an opportunity.It is making good use of it.It is not easy for Trump to stomach this.He cannot allow China to become a super power.It is a communist country but it virtually supports capitalist system as it encourages private players even more than America.Full-time Communist party workers and office-bearers are taken good care by all including businessmen.
Chinese companies have also made heavy investments in this country.The government has allowed 49 per cent investment through Foreign Direct Investment route.In some companies the limit has been raised to 75 per cent.It is making good use of it.Lately, it is also investing heavily in stock markets.The aim was to make opportunistic take over.The Modi government saw through the game and amended the FDI policy.Now,it has been made government approval necessary for direct investments in Indian companies by neighbouring countries including China.The country was caught unaware. Expectedly, it reacted sharply.Chinese embassy in Delhi said India has committed excesses.Also that it is violation of the World Trade Organisation rules.
India will have none of it.The country’s security is above everything.The government has taken this decision due to security concerns. China,however, does not seem to have abandon its ambition to become a world economic power.Trump cannot let the country succeed and is bound to create a road-block.Thus,China may not have a free ride.
(The writer is a senior journalist, columnist and former MP)
