With deaths in the US crossing the 20,000-mark, China is starting to feel the heat on its handling of the coronavirus crisis. US allies Japan and Australia, it appears, have joined ranks to call out and penalise China for its inaction. While Australian lawmakers have attacked Beijing for “failing to contain the coronavirus” an Australian newspaper published a rebuttal to the Chinese consul-general’s criticism of its coverage of the epidemic. Japan has allocated $2.2 billion to help its manufacturers shift production out of China, signaling a shift in relations.
ThePrint asks: US, Australia, Japan target China on Covid-19. Should India join or act in self-interest?
Battle against coronavirus is a priority; India should take cautious position on China
Kanwal Sibal
Executive council member, VIF, and former foreign secretary
China needs to be targeted and called out as the source of the coronavirus. It cannot disown its responsibility by seeking to change the narrative about the origin of the virus.
China has the capacity to resist this move, as it is the world’s second-largest economy that controls supply chains and can provide much needed equipment to meet the immediate needs of afflicted countries. But it will pay a price later with the production of critical items in all fields progressively shifting out of China.
The UN Security Council has failed to address the crisis because of the differences between US and China. Although there is a divide between the US and Europe over the issue of China’s connection to the virus, Australia and Japan have shown solidarity with the US. India, as a part of the Quad, could face pressure to join, but it should be cautious in its public position at this stage, prioritising its own battle against the coronavirus. It cannot disengage itself from China because they are linked via the health sector. Its self-interest requires pressure on China, which it can apply by seeking transparency about the source of the pandemic and emphasising the need for sharing all data that would help in controlling the spread of Covid-19.
India doesn’t have to get involved in anti-China campaign but no harm in demanding transparency
Arun Singh
Former Indian ambassador to the US
Clearly the processes and decisions that were adopted in China, particularly lack of transparency and silencing of those who wanted to share information, had an impact on the global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a globalised world, given today’s levels of technology and communication — with supply chains, trade and investment having a strong link to China — it is critical that there is transparency in Chinese processes. The rest of the world can legitimately raise these issues because everyone bears the impact.
Chinese trade and investment in India have been growing but China has not been particularly helpful to India on political issues, be it in terms of India’s permanent membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) or raising issues at the UN Security Council. At the same time, there has been some cooperation from China in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis, including provision of PPE, as well as APIs for our generics manufacturers.
While India doesn’t have to get involved in an anti-China campaign, there is no harm in emphasising the need for greater transparency.
India should support Quad partners to ensure China doesn’t shift blame for Covid-19 on to others
Rajesh Rajagopalan
Professor of International Politics, JNU
It is in India’s interest to join its Quad partners against China as the Chinese government bears the sole responsibility for the coronavirus disaster we are facing right now. While all countries make mistakes, what China did is that it actively covered up the outbreak of Covid-19 and allowed it to become a worldwide pandemic, showing utter disregard to the safety of the rest of the world. It actively colluded with the WHO to suppress information that could have helped others in dealing with the crisis earlier. And once the pandemic spread, the Chinese communist government actively engaged in an unbelievably crass effort to shift the blame to others.
In addition, Beijing has attempted to use the crisis to strengthen its regional and global political and military interest. India needs to stand with its Quad partners because it is in the interest of all Quad countries that China’s efforts to absolve itself of responsibility for this disaster, shift blame to others, and use this crisis to gain an advantage is countered. It is in India’s national interest to ensure that China does not shift blame for Covid-19 crisis and that the Quad cooperation is enhanced.
By Pia Krishnankutty, journalist at ThePrint
ThePrint is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinion on politics, governance and more, subscribe to ThePrint on Telegram. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.