Bloomberg takes notice. even the Greens are waking up!
22 Apr: Bloomberg: China’s Coronavirus Diplomacy Has Finally Pushed Europe Too Far
by Alan Crawford and Peter Martin; With assistance by Patrick Donahue
EU is looking to diversify supply chains to cut China reliance
5G, strategic investments in focus after ‘offensive’ approach
Diplomats talk of mounting anger over China’s behavior during the coronavirus pandemic including claims of price gouging by Chinese suppliers of medical equipment and a blindness to how its actions are perceived. The upshot is that Beijing’s handling of the crisis has eroded trust just when it had a chance to demonstrate global leadership.
“Over these months China has lost Europe,” said Reinhard Buetikofer, a German Green party lawmaker who chairs the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with China. He cited concerns from China’s “truth management” in the early stages of the virus to an “extremely aggressive” stance by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing and “hard line propaganda” that champions the superiority of Communist Party rule over democracy...
While the Trump administration has resumed its swipes at China, European officials are traditionally less willing to be openly critical, in part for fear of retribution. The fact that politicians in Berlin, Paris, London and Brussels are expressing concern over Beijing’s narrative on Covid-19 hints at a deeper resentment with wide-ranging consequences...
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-21/china-s-coronavirus-diplomacy-has-finally-pushed-europe-too-far
Thanks for that post.
I know there’s a lot of cynicism on these threads, mostly predicting that once this crisis dies down, it will be business as usual with the Chicoms — that is, endless exploitation of Western nations desperate for cheap Chinese-manufactured junk.
The problem with seers, soothsayers, and readers of animal entrails is that all they usually can do is extrapolate from current trends.
But history always doesn’t move in predictable straight lines. No self-styled prophet can see the bends and forks in the road.
Could the West be at such a juncture with the Chicoms? I’m keeping up with the news and keeping my mind open.