WASHINGTON, DC (NEXSTAR) — The world’s two largest economies, the U.S. and China, proceed to commerce barbs over one another’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Trump has questioned the accuracy of China’s official demise toll and accused the nation of an absence of transparency, whereas China has defended its dealing with of the virus and criticized the U.S. response as sluggish and ineffective.
The Home Intelligence Committee examined the nationwide safety and intelligence implications of this strained relationship throughout a listening to Wednesday.
“COVID-19 couldn’t have come at a worse time for the connection,” stated Dr. Evan Medeiros with Georgetown College.
The previous Nationwide Safety Council’s director for China painted a bleak image of the nation’s ties with the U.S., which he stated could also be extra politicized than ever earlier than.
“A few of these racially motivated phrases that officers within the administration have used, like ‘kung flu,’ merely don’t assist,” Medeiros instructed lawmakers.
Chairman Adam Schiff, D-CA, stated the pandemic has underlined the 2 international locations’ nice reliance on one another for assets like drugs and medical provides.
“Competing with China can not and shouldn’t be a slogan,” Schiff stated.
Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, worries about that competitors over a future vaccine.
“And the broader affect any quantity of vaccine shortage, irrespective of how brief lived, could have on our financial and safety ties,” Sewell stated.
That’s why the China consultants instructed lawmakers financial safety would be the new nationwide safety over the following a number of years.
“We’re at a tremendously harmful second the place we don’t have a framework for coping with China,” stated Orville Schell, the director of the Asia Society’s Middle on U.S.-China Relations.
Schell stated the U.S. authorities must rethink competitors with China and alter coverage accordingly.
“It’s with nice remorse that I notice that your Republican colleagues aren’t at this listening to,” Schell stated.
No Republicans attended Wednesday’s digital listening to at a time when Democrats argued bipartisan work is important to verify U.S.-China tensions don’t proceed to escalate into the following pandemic.
High U.S. well being consultants stated Tuesday they’re maintaining a tally of a brand new flu pressure carried by pigs in China that has not but been proven to contaminate people.