Coronavirus: China and the United States "on the brink of a new Cold War"

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While relations between Beijing and Washington have been in conflict for almost two years due to the trade war launched by the Trump administration, the global health crisis still fuels tensions between the two great powers.

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China and the United States are "  on the brink of a new Cold War,  " said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday May 24. The Covid-19 crisis exacerbated tensions, tensions already high due to the trade war between the two powers. "In  addition to the devastation caused by the new coronavirus, a political virus is spreading in the United States,  " said Wang Yi without quoting the American president .

"A political virus"

A "  political virus  " which "  seizes every opportunity to attack and defame China,  " he added. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has stepped up accusations against Beijing. "  Relations have strained a lot since the coronavirus epidemic reached the United States,  " confirms Jean-Philippe Béja, emeritus research director at CNRS, at the microphone of RFI.

 ►  Read also: WHO, the field of diplomatic war between China and the United States

The American president notably accuses the Chinese authorities of having delayed communicating crucial data on the severity of the virus, the spread of which he believes could have been halted. In addition, the first patients with coronavirus, which has now killed more than 330,000 people, having been reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Donald Trump raised the possibility of asking Beijing to pay billions of dollars in reparations for the damage caused by the epidemic.

The United States has also called for an international investigation into the origin of the virus. For its part, China said it was "  ready  " for international cooperation to identify the source of the Covid-19, without giving details.

Political tensions amid economic conflict

But tensions are not just coming from the United States. “  China has continued to radicalize during this epidemic. First, with the "mask diplomacy" , then with the "warrior wolf" diplomats  who attacked all the countries in which they were stationed , analyzes Jean-Philippe Béja. We have a kind of Orwellian system in Chinese discourse. That is to say, we are warning against the new Cold War and we are doing everything necessary to launch a new Cold War  ”.

The economic motive is also a factor in aggravating tensions in the Sino-American relationship. “  The trade war that started two years ago is still not over. To a certain extent, today, it seems that the renewed tension is positive for both sides,  "concludes the researcher, noting in particular that a presidential election is looming in the United States.

Wuhan laboratory at the heart of speculation

The Wuhan Chinese virology institute regularly accused, notably by the United States, of having a link with Covid-19 due to its proximity to the place of emergence of the epidemic, has three living strains of coronavirus bat. But none corresponds to Covid-19, also assured its director Sunday, May 24.

In a television interview, Wang Yanyi said that "  like everyone else, we did not even know the virus existed  " and that the suspicions were "  pure fabrication  ". The only strains present in this laboratory responsible for studying some of the most dangerous pathogens in the world have only "  79.8%  " similarity to Covid-19.

Most scientists believe that the new coronavirus has probably been transmitted to humans from an animal. A city market has also been accused of selling live wild animals.

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• Listen to our Coronavirus Info column 

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→  The race for the vaccine is in full swing
→  How to make a mask and use it well

• Our series  :
→ “  The response, country by country  ”
→ “  Nurses  ' words ”

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• Each evening, find the State of the world and Africa facing the pandemic

• See also the files of RFI Savoirs on the Covid-19:
→  Birth of a pandemic
→  Everyday life put to the test
→  The history of epidemics
→  Science facing the Covid-19
→  The geopolitical consequences

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• China
• Coronavirus
• Donald trump
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