Russian President Vladimir Putin once called Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, a “lone warrior.” Putin was joking, but that description is starting to look more and more accurate.
Over 100 countries are now set to back a resolution at the upcoming World Health Assembly meeting that is calling for an independent inquiry into the details surrounding how the coronavirus has developed. This news comes off the back of a European Union draft resolution and a push by Australia for an inquiry into China’s initial handling of the crisis.
These developments have been met with an angry response from the powers Beijing, which accused Australia in particular of undertaking a “highly irresponsible” move that could “disrupt international cooperation in fighting the pandemic and goes against people’s shared aspiration”.
Today, the resolution will be presented at the annual meeting of World Health Organization members. The resolution is understood not to single out China or any other country but it does call for an “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of “the (WHO)-coordinated international health response to Covid-19.”
The general wording of the resolution is weak compared to Australia’s specific calls for a probe into China’s role and responsibility in the origin of the pandemic. However, the reasoning for the soft wording is understood to be necessary to get a majority of WHO member states to sign in support, particularly those with traditionally strong ties to Beijing.
Speaking only last week China’s ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming said: “We’re open, we are transparent, we have nothing to hide, we have nothing to fear. We welcome an international, independent review, but it has to be organized by the WHO”. With more and more countries getting on board, this decision may well be out of China’s hands.
[give_form id=”1772″ show_title=”false” show_goal=”false” show_content=”below” display_style=”modal”]
Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
[sibwp_form id=4]
