Recently, the number of people infected with New Coronary Pneumonia in the United States has skyrocketed, and there is an extreme shortage of protective materials. While restricting the export of masks and other anti-epidemic materials, the United States has also started a "robber" mode of intercepting looting.
Restricting the export of 3M masks annoys Canada
The Canadian "Global Mail" reported on the 4th that Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau announced that he would receive "millions" of medical masks from China. Trudeau said that in the next 48 hours, Canada will lease freight flights from China to transport millions of masks. Canada also leased a warehouse in China to collect and distribute other materials "as soon as possible".
Earlier, Trudeau was angry because the United States banned masks from exporting to Canada.
US President Trump announced on the 3rd that it will restrict the export of domestically needed masks and other medical materials in accordance with the National Defense Production Law, and requires that the major global N95 mask manufacturer, US 3M, should not export products to Canada and Latin America.
Trudeau held a press conference that day, saying that blocking the export of medical supplies is a "mistake", which may be counterproductive. He pointed out that thousands of nurses travel from Canada every day to hospitals in Detroit, USA, and maintaining the circulation of materials and personnel in both countries is of great significance to both sides.
He believes that Canada will still get the medical supplies needed to fight the epidemic. 3M has stated that it will continue to deliver orders to Canada and other places.
When asked if Canada would retaliate if the United States continued to ban exports, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Freeland stated that Ottawa will "defend national interests at all costs."
3M Company: Restricting the export of masks does not comply with humanitarianism
On April 3, 3M issued a public statement, saying that in the past few weeks and months, all 3M employees have been overloaded, making as much N95 as possible for the United States and the world.
The statement pointed out that 3M is an extremely important mask supplier in Canada and Latin America. At this time, cutting off the supply of masks to medical personnel in these countries will have serious "humanitarian consequences." This practice may also lead to reprisals and imitations from other countries, which in turn will affect the supply of masks and other medical products in the United States.
3M's Canada President Penny Wise also issued an open letter saying, "We will spare no effort to do our best to increase the supply of N95 masks in Canada to support our frontline medical staff and staff."
Canadian media: US-Canada trust faces fatal test
The Canadian "Toronto Star" reported that this move would put the fatal test of trust between Canada and the United States. Canada ’s Minister of Public Services and Procurement Anita Anand said that the United States ’ban on 3M export masks means that the same policy can be applied to the supply of all products including ventilators and vaccines. After the Canadian economy has merged with the US economy for more than thirty years, this risk has never been clearer than it is now.
The report said that life-saving supplies that were cut off during the pandemic were disastrous. Christopher Sands, director of the Canadian Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, said that when difficult times come, countries only focus on their own interests, just like those in supermarkets who fight for toilet paper.
US opens "intercept" cargo grab mode
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the United States has been "intercepting" other countries' masks and other anti-epidemic materials.
On April 3, Deutsche Welle reported that a batch of FFP2 and FFP masks ordered by the Berlin municipal government in China were "slashed with love" by the United States. German Federal Senator Andreas Gessel said the Americans confiscated a group of consignees in Bangkok to supply the Berlin police.
Geisel accused the United States of being simply "contemporary pirates." He believes that the German government should call on the United States to follow international trade guidelines. "Allies cannot be treated this way, even in this global crisis, this 'wild west' approach cannot be adopted."
Earlier, three French governors accused the United States of stealing the masks they ordered in China at high prices. The President of the Ile-de-France Region said on Thursday: "The Americans have paid a high price and just robbed us of our goods."
Rutner, chairman of France ’s greater eastern region, complained on Wednesday that the United States intercepted supplies ordered by France, "they have spent a lot of money and bid three or four times higher than our order price."