The question of masks is at the heart of controversies in France. The government therefore ended up justifying itself. Edouard Philippe thus recognized on Thursday the "real difficulties" that France is facing in obtaining masks against the coronavirus. It must be said that the discontent rises, while regional presidents have said that American buyers had "outbid" to get masks.
Considerable global demand
The supply difficulties stem "from the considerable demand that comes to China from the United States, from all of Europe, from the whole world in truth, and from China's ability to keep masks for it, which can be perfectly understood but which has an impact on us, ”also explained the Prime Minister. These are "not logistical difficulties related to planes that would be lacking because we really have the capacity to send planes as and when necessary, but the capacity sometimes to access the products of orders that are not always delivered for a variety of reasons, "he added, without further details.
The president of the Ile-de-France region, Valérie Pécresse, said on Thursday that she had lost a load of Chinese masks to the benefit of American buyers who had "outbid" to obtain it, after similar accusations by her counterparts in the Paca region (south-east) Renaud Muselier and Grand-Est Jean Rottner. Valérie Pécresse did not specify whether these were buyers working for private or public entities.
The United States denies
"On the tarmac, the Americans take out the cash and pay three or four times (more expensive) for the orders we have made, so we really have to fight," Jean Rottner also said on Wednesday. After these accusations, the United States categorically denied Thursday having bought masks from China for France.
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- France
- United States
- Coronavirus
- Edouard Philippe
- Health