Trump risks blowback from war of words with China over coronavirus

By Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Andrea Shalal

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the coronavirus response daily briefing with members of the administration's coronavirus task force at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and some top aides have repeatedly excoriated China over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, a stance that even some in his administration worry could bring a dangerous backlash from Beijing.

 

While Trump himself softened his tone after a week of blaming what he called the "Chinese virus" for the human and economic toll of the disease, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday had harsh words for the Chinese, accusing them of an "intentional disinformation campaign."

 

Increasing strains in U.S.-China relations have raised concerns at a time when experts say an unprecedented level of cooperation is needed to face the crisis and deal with its fallout.

 

“The U.S. and China are engaged now in a demonization contest," said Daniel Russel, who served as the State Department’s top Asia adviser until early in Trump’s term.

 

"That inevitably hinders badly needed cooperation.”

 

At risk also is Trump's hard-won trade deal between the world’s two biggest economies, a key plank of his 2020 re-election campaign.

 

While Washington and Beijing have so far mostly been waging an escalating war of words, the Trump administration has raised the prospect of turning rhetoric into action, which could further ratchet up tensions.

 

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, a leading China hawk, is crafting a new “Buy America” executive order aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on Chinese-made pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies.

 

China, which has matched U.S. recriminations over the virus, has warned that such a move would be unwise and unrealistic.

 

An article carried by the official Chinese news agency Xinhua said the world should thank China, rather than blame it, and warned if Beijing were to ban the export of drugs, “the United States would sink into the hell of a novel coronavirus epidemic.”

 

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is leading a faction within the administration opposed to Navarro's initiative, said a senior U.S. official on condition of anonymity. Internal dissent is based on concerns that now is not the time to antagonize China when its help is needed to fight the pandemic and keep the global economy afloat.

 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

U.S.-CHINA TENSIONS CLOUD G20

Friction between the United States and China is expected to overhang a video conference of the Group of 20 major economies on Thursday to discuss the pandemic, which has upended life and sent economic shockwaves around the globe.

 

With his pronouncements, Trump has whipsawed back and forth in how he has characterized China’s role.

 

After initially commending China for “doing a very professional job” fighting the virus, Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric last week, saying "the world is paying a very big price for what they did” and accusing Beijing of covering up the outbreak's early stages in the Wuhan province.But Trump’s language softened again this week as he offered further praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing him as a “friend.”

 

Pompeo, meanwhile, has become the public face of the anti-China camp. He called the disease the “Wuhan virus” on Wednesday, using a term that angers China, and said Beijing needs to be more transparent.

 

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had shared information and urged Washington to “cease politicizing the epidemic."

 

Despite Pompeo’s tough talk, another U.S. official said that unless Trump or his surrogates take direct aim at Xi, something they have yet to do, relations could still be salvaged.

 

Trump this week has regularly touted his trade deal with China, pointing out that Beijing’s is moving ahead with its promised agricultural purchases considered crucial to his electoral prospects in farm states.

 

China has its own levers if it chooses to retaliate, not only on possibly slow-walking implementation of the trade deal but by using its position as a key supplier of medical goods to the United States.

 

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in an op-ed last month that in 2018, the U.S. imported more than $12.7 billion worth of pharmaceuticals and antibiotics, medical devices, and food products from China, not including organic chemicals used to create pharmaceutical products.

 

Navarro last week said he hoped to finish work on the executive order, but it has not been advanced amid a flurry of warnings from U.S. health experts who fear China could respond by slowing shipments of medical equipment. The senior U.S. official said the decree was "still in process."

 

"In normal times, I would agree that it is important for the United States to have its own capacity to produce ventilators, masks and other medical equipment," said Matthew Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 

"But this is not the moment to considering a policy like this."

 

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom, Andrea Shalal; Additional reporting by Alex Alper; Editing by Mary Milliken and Tom Brown)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-26

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

What is this person on about? The only thing he should concentrate on is his people and the country he is trying to protect.

I don't as rule, agree with much that passes Don de don don's lips, but China should be held to account on SOME level by countries affected by this disaster, the initial coverup that allowed it to get out of hand in the first place and now just total silence from the Chinese "Leadership" that will have negative medical and economic effects on all those countries for a long time to come!

I hope the adults in the republican party find a way to get this idiot out of there. As bad as Pence is, A president Pence would be infinitely better.

   The only thing trump can do well is talk trash! He has failed at every turn. Middle east, North Korea,Immigration, Health care. International relations. bringing back industry, balancing trade with China, Preparing for the virus.

   What would he be remembered for other than talking trash ? Oh ok,I forgot, making America great again.LOL 

Irrelevant. China has single handedly brought the world to their knees with a virus. The new superpower, people!

6 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Irrelevant. China has single handedly brought the world to their knees with a virus. The new superpower, people!

Where/Who is the self proclaimed "Leader of the Free World?" ????

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/fbi-charges-harvard-chemist-two-others-in-chinese-research-cases/2020/01/28/f5e09086-41ee-11ea-b5fc-eefa848cde99_story.html?outputType=amp

 

Here is a picture from it if you'd rather read a short interesting part. Arrests recently done in the US. Involving lab virals being smuggled.  There is a biolab in Wuhan also. Interesting times indeed.

 

Bill Gates stepped down recently.

 

Edited March 25, 20206 yr by metisdead
Screen shot in violation of fair use policy has been removed.

" Speak softly, and carry a big stick". IMO Trump would go further by saying nothing while ensuring an American pharmaceutical industry ramped up to mass-produce inexpensive antibiotics.

Stupid to tell any enemy your intentions.

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

What is this person on about? The only thing he should concentrate on is his people and the country he is trying to protect.

 

Ordinarily I might agree with you, but IMO, the less he is engaged with the CV 19 response, the better it will go.

1 minute ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Ordinarily I might agree with you, but IMO, the less he is engaged with the CV 19 response, the better it will go.

Ops! Thanks! Didn´t think about that factor.

Posts and replies trolling about the 2016 election results have been removed.

 

A post using an intentional misspelling of Trump's name has been removed. 

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

Irrelevant. China has single handedly brought the world to their knees with a virus. The new superpower, people!

Trump spent weeks failing to respond, and had already vandalized departments and posts put in place to provide intelligence and policy advice in event of disease threats to the US.

 

He continues to fail in his duties to protect America and Americans.

 

The very language he chooses to use antagonizes the nation’s the US needs to cooperate with.

 

He’s not fit for the job, he needs to go.

Well on the bright side (blow back)is about all trumps good at I wish he would just shut up and let the experts handle it

59 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

What is this person on about? The only thing he should concentrate on is his people and the country he is trying to protect.

 

Things are bad, so just like another country you know, and possibly live in, Donald, needs to blame this on someone or something. Making it clear to his faithful supporters. It is not his fault, nor is it theirs. When you have a person as ignorant and distrustful of science, & extremely disliked by over half of the countries population, as Donald is, the blame game is everything.

And China is already back at work in many places and the US is at the beginning of the virus effects. 

Trump should concentrate on making America safe again but that does not seem likely for sometime. 

Probably going to surpass the Italy infections and deaths because of his initial disregard for the "flu".

Much the same as the incumbents here.

1) He scaled it back, after China stopped accusing the USA of originating the virus
2) Yes, China did threaten to cut off medicines to the USA, which became foolishly dependent on a communist-totalitarian state for 90%+ of medicines, critical parts of military tech, and most consumer goods - under the guidance of transnational-globalist funded (bought-off / sold-out) leadership.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, a leading China hawk, is crafting a new “Buy America” executive order aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on Chinese-made pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies.

Should have started, "On Day One" / "So Fast your Head will spin" - as advertised in 2016 (along with many other top-platform promises).

 

An "amazing" thing when I got to Thailand - seemed almost everything in BigC/Tesco was "Made in Thailand" - like in the USA when I was a kid - "Made in USA".  Thailand is better prepared for this situation, in that respect. 

 

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

As bad as Pence is, A president Pence would be infinitely better.

Yes, he tends to let the activist-reporters walk all over him, like a good "false opposition to the globalist-left" GOPer (aka "tag-team" sold-out, Uniparty player).
 

17 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

He would probably pass a law that everyone has to go to church once a week.

Not to worry, most churches have no resemblance to their past-selves - promoting the mores and morals which were the foundation of American culture.  I'm not a bible thumper type (closer to Buddhist, if I had to choose), but it's not hard to see Western civilization being quite intentionally ripped to bits from every angle at once.

... and create a worldwide Moratorium;

to thwart China from reaping the ultimate rewards from their devious plans 

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 20206 yr by tifino

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Where/Who is the self proclaimed "Leader of the Free World?" ????

Think to the future, China has a major achievement here due to a virus, we now live in interesting times.

 

A post using an intentional misspelling Trump's name has been removed, please spell people's names correctly when posting. 

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I don't as rule, agree with much that passes Don de don don's lips, but China should be held to account on SOME level by countries affected by this disaster, the initial coverup that allowed it to get out of hand in the first place and now just total silence from the Chinese "Leadership" that will have negative medical and economic effects on all those countries for a long time to come!

Got any specifics about what the "level" should be?

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I don't as rule, agree with much that passes Don de don don's lips, but China should be held to account on SOME level by countries affected by this disaster, the initial coverup that allowed it to get out of hand in the first place and now just total silence from the Chinese "Leadership" that will have negative medical and economic effects on all those countries for a long time to come!

I'm starting to think China planned it - if they did, it is an act of war

 

seems when all this is over China wins big time 

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

" Speak softly, and carry a big stick". IMO Trump would go further by saying nothing while ensuring an American pharmaceutical industry ramped up to mass-produce inexpensive antibiotics.

Stupid to tell any enemy your intentions.

I am not an expert in this field, and I always defer to information and advice from better informed people (unlike some world leaders). 

How much of the American pharmaceutical industry relocated their production to China over the last couple of decades?  It wouldn't be a philanthropic move.

When the need for mass production of medicines, inoculations etc occurs which country will hold the aces?

7 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

I am not an expert in this field, and I always defer to information and advice from better informed people (unlike some world leaders). 

How much of the American pharmaceutical industry relocated their production to China over the last couple of decades?  It wouldn't be a philanthropic move.

When the need for mass production of medicines, inoculations etc occurs which country will hold the aces?

same for technology - we enabled them in return for cheap manufacturing, they reverse engineered it and now they are almost better at it than we are

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

I hope the adults in the republican party find a way to get this idiot out of there. As bad as Pence is, A president Pence would be infinitely better.

   The only thing trump can do well is talk trash! He has failed at every turn. Middle east, North Korea,Immigration, Health care. International relations. bringing back industry, balancing trade with China, Preparing for the virus.

   What would he be remembered for other than talking trash ? Oh ok,I forgot, making America great again.LOL 

Fortunately, your opinions, clearly biased as they are, do not constitute the actual reality. 

 

Get ready for another 4 year term. 

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

" Speak softly, and carry a big stick". IMO Trump would go further by saying nothing while ensuring an American pharmaceutical industry ramped up to mass-produce inexpensive antibiotics.

Stupid to tell any enemy your intentions.

Up until last night, I have a new view on Trump and it is in a more positive light now. Despite all his very poor qualities and rhetoric. 

 

Basically, he is going to making some arrests and they will include several high profile folks. I hope it's true and if it does turn out to be, Trump defeated the Bush Family, Obama, and the Clintons. The former being actually the least worst of them all. 

 

The Clintons are the ones who actually were involved with the Russians.

17 minutes ago, Chiphigh said:

Quite a bit of ridiculous assumptions and generalizations in this post. 

 

But you don't have a vote. Your opinions are not better than people who disagree with you. 

 

There will be a second term, I hope you can handle the obvious emotional issues that you are dealing with. 

2 signs you have nothing pertinent to say

You make it personal about the poster.

And you predict the outcome of an election.. Unless of course you are a visitor from the future. Got any stock tips?

Edited March 26, 20206 yr by bristolboy

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I don't as rule, agree with much that passes Don de don don's lips, but China should be held to account on SOME level by countries affected by this disaster, the initial coverup that allowed it to get out of hand in the first place and now just total silence from the Chinese "Leadership" that will have negative medical and economic effects on all those countries for a long time to come!

Some ??  All!  This is a Chinese virus and started there!  Why is that Doctors face never seem on CNN anymore ?? The one that exposed a lot of this?? 

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

The viruses thus far found in pangolins are not close to similar enough to match.  There was an errant news report suggesting a "99% genetic match" were in error:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00548-w

(the studies which were falsely quoted with 99%)

 

Nice try at cherrypicking from that article. Why didn't you cite the title of it? Maybe because it undermines your case that pangolins have been dismissed as a suspect?

Mystery deepens over animal source of coronavirus

Scientists are racing to identify the source of the coronavirus that is causing havoc around the world. Three weeks ago, Chinese scientists suggested, on the basis of genetic analyses, that the scaly, ant-eating pangolin was the prime suspect. But scientists have now examined those data — along with three other pangolin coronavirus genome studies released last week — and say that although the animal is still a contender, the mystery is far from solved.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00548-w

In addition to which, just because bats are hibernating, that doesn't mean that they can't be harvested, does it?

What's more, if pangolins can be imported from elsewhere, why not bats?

That said, I don't believe scientists claim that bats are the direct source.

Posts and the replies which have been reported have been removed:

 

8.) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

 

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.