UK says China has questions to answer over novel coronavirus outbreak

 

Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is seen outside 10 Downing Street London, Britain, January 21, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - China has questions to answer over the information it shared about the novel coronavirus outbreak but a post mortem over its role should come later, Britain’s defence minister said on Monday.

 

Asked by LBC radio if China had questions to answer over how quickly it made the world aware of the extent of the crisis, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “I think it does.”

 

“The time for the post mortem on this is after we’ve all got it under control and have come through it and our economies are back to normal,” Wallace said.

 

“China needs to be open and transparent about what it leant, it’s short comings but also it’s successes,” he said.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday there was “a significant amount of evidence” that the new coronavirus emerged from a Chinese laboratory, but did not dispute U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusion that it was not man-made.

 

“There is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan,” Pompeo told ABC’s “This Week”, referring to the virus that emerged late last year in China and has killed about 240,000 people around the world, including more than 67,000 in the United States.

 

Pompeo then briefly contradicted a statement issued last Thursday by the top U.S. spy agency that said the virus did not appear to be man-made or genetically modified.

 

China has repeatedly denied that it covered up any details about the novel coronavirus outbreak.

 

China’s ambassador to London last month said the United States should not seek to bully the People’s Republic in a manner reminiscent of the 19th century European colonial war.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-04

 

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10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

China’s ambassador to London last month said the United States should not seek to bully the People’s Republic in a manner reminiscent of the 19th century European colonial war.

Indeed, I fully agree that a 19th century approach is not appropriate here.

 

This is the 21st century and we have much more efficient war machines available now.

Edited May 4, 20206 yr by ukrules

For years have always held the view that if I was being bullied then I would have the US as the mate to deal to the bully. But if I needed wise learned diplomacy then I would consult with the Brits, the new western countries (Aussies, Kiwis and Canucks) and the Scandinavians. In the last three years more so the higher level of intelligence whereabouts is becoming even more obvious. 

It would be nice to think that one day, Asia would learn that bull <deleted> ing to save face just doesn't wash with the west!

7 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

attempting to take over the South China Sea from neighbours.

I think they have already achieved that through their aggressive expansionist policy! Their filthy tentacles have spread far and wide and continue to do so!

The Pacific, South America, Africa!

 

 

Edited May 4, 20206 yr by PatOngo

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!

“The time for the post mortem on this is after we’ve all got it under control and have come through it and our economies are back to normal,” Wallace said.”

 

I look forward to this ‘post mortem’ but get your own house in order before you go pointing any fingers at the Chinese.

50 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

How a Government dictates to private corporations where they should manufacture their products is the question to be answered by those advocating ‘decoupling’.

They can manufacture them wherever they want; governments can add tariffs and remove favourable tax rates where they want too.

Edited May 4, 20206 yr by Salerno

Posts of an off topic trolling nature have been removed as well as the replies.

4 hours ago, RoadWarrior371 said:

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!

One of the best movie lines ever

After brexit I don't think the UK is in any position to be threatening China. But a little Saber-rattling does entertain the peanut gallery. 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

“The time for the post mortem on this is after we’ve all got it under control and have come through it and our economies are back to normal,” Wallace said.”

 

I look forward to this ‘post mortem’ but get your own house in order before you go pointing any fingers at the Chinese.

No country will ever abide by that rule. However, your reflexive defending of China is noted. As always.

The usual suspects lining up to be chief American lapdog. Fact is the Brits and Americans should investigate their own responses to the pandemic before any others. Between them tens of thousands have died because BoJo & Trump got it so wrong. 

23 minutes ago, pegman said:

The usual suspects lining up to be chief American lapdog. Fact is the Brits and Americans should investigate their own responses to the pandemic before any others. Between them tens of thousands have died because BoJo & Trump got it so wrong. 

That's what happens when you trust the official Chinese numbers and use them as the basis for your calculations.

 

China are bound by long standing agreements, international treaties, etc, etc to report accurate information

 

Now we know to disregard them obviously incorrect numbers things are starting to look very different.

 

You would blame the Americans and British for this?

 

A post attempting to deflect the topic to an off topic discussion about the US and the resulting replies have been removed. 

Watch it! We will send a gunboat!

1 hour ago, pegman said:

The usual suspects lining up to be chief American lapdog. Fact is the Brits and Americans should investigate their own responses to the pandemic before any others. Between them tens of thousands have died because BoJo & Trump got it so wrong. 

 

So….the UK and the US (not to mention Italy, Spain, France, Iran, Canada, Belgium, and another one hundred plus countries) should be blamed because they didn’t adequately anticipate, prepare for, and react to a biological event….that originated/was generated….in China? Seriously?

 

 

Edited May 5, 20206 yr by Hayduke

This is laughable. A country that relies on Chinese money, even more so after Brexit, is in no position to tough talk with China???? In fact brits should question themselves for <deleted> poor jobs they had done responding to Cod19 threats.

here in hk we know all about big brother peering over the not so high fence.i find it amazing the flood of support for the chinese regime on this forum,its a pseudo fascist ultra nationalist regime.it threatens bullies and shakes down the countries in its way,as pointed out the  s china sea issue,theres a bunch more from the millions in gulags to what has happened here in hk and taiwan as for the reference to the opuium wars absurd.the PRC in late jan knowingly and willingly exported the virus to the world over chinese new year,internal flights were being cancelled or curtailled,we knew of the virus here in nov.some people befre that.reporters and drs as wella s private citizens were jailed and killed for letting the cat out of the bag,if u wish to support that go ahead its your right but it also comes with responsibility.

6 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

No country will ever abide by that rule. However, your reflexive defending of China is noted. As always.

It’s not a defense of China, it’s simple good advice.

 

Deal with the on going threat at home and investigate what went right/wrong before going around blaming others.

During the Korean war MacArthur wanted to nuke China out of existence in order to get them out of Korea and permanently out of any future significance in world affairs. He was refused, and sacked.

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“China needs to be open and transparent about what it leant, it’s short comings but also it’s successes,” he said.

and that would be a first in history.... thus will never happen

 

China's going to end up alone on this one. 

They skrewed friend and foe alike.  Even their traditional backers like Russia, Iran, Venezuela, etc have been devastated and will be wanting payment for what China's virus did to their countries and economies. 

China propaganda is already working hard on disinformation, perfect example a couple days ago China's ambassador to the UK in a BBC interview, the man didn't waited for the questions to be asked, he didn't stop blaming everybody but China, very aggressive behavior

 

https://asiatimes.com/2020/04/wolf-warriors-twitter-trolls-and-chinas-virus-lies/

China has continued to run a global disinformation campaign to deflect blame for the outbreak of the pandemic and improve its international image. Both overt and covert tactics have been observed,” the original version said.

 

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-04/wolf-warrior-diplomats-defend-china-handling-coronavirus

Chinese ambassadors are attacking foreign officials on social media and peddling misinformation — amplified by the state-controlled press — to deflect blame for the virus that has killed a quarter of a million people and wrecked global economies.

I doubt that the UK is the only country in the world that is waiting for anwsers over this.

12 hours ago, PatOngo said:

It would be nice to think that one day, Asia would learn that bull <deleted> ing to save face just doesn't wash with the west!

Trouble is, trying to save face is the every day occurrence in the US.

23 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

During the Korean war MacArthur wanted to nuke China out of existence in order to get them out of Korea and permanently out of any future significance in world affairs. He was refused, and sacked.

Pity he didn't nuke em.

12 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I think they have already achieved that through their aggressive expansionist policy! Their filthy tentacles have spread far and wide and continue to do so!

The Pacific, South America, Africa!

 

 

I don't suppose they learnt anything about aggressive expansionist policy from anybody else, oops sorry such a policy is quite alright for white folks to do, but China copying us is of course unacceptable. They answer is not that China is right, the South China sea expansion is deplorable, but that they are ALL wrong. Let's try to avoid the holier than thou line, it's a bit embarrassing if we look at history honestly. 

 

In this case the Tory minister has, to my shock, been quite reasonable. No post mortems now, we are in a crisis. Eventually when we have all the facts we may well have some questions to be asked. I though Bojo's cabinet was virtually brainless, but this may be the one that slipped through.

The very first question for governments to ask China is what safeguards have been implemented to prevent any other deadly viruses from escaping their environment and labs. No one should doubt that this coronavirus was caused by lax control in the Wuhan lab - to imply it mutated from the wild food meat market nearby, is ludicrous. 

 

And the second statement is to require China to substantiate these safeguards, and provide UN access to ratify it - which is unlikely, given the secretive nature of their despot regime - by withholding Chinese trade exports and increasing tariffs as a negotiating tactic until they toe the global line.

 

Armageddon tactic: If Trump wants to be re-elected and he doesn't get satisfactory responses from China he has the power to threaten a preemptive nuclear strike on Beijing. And then we won't have to be concerned about social distancing anymore...