The Elephant was never more relevant and the Dragon was never more dangerous in the eyes of the world. The growing belief and perception of the world community today is that China camouflaged the true national impact of the Coronavirus from the world and also hid the all important fact of human to human transmission of COVID-19 for a considerable period of time despite having knowledge of the same very early as pointed out by whistle-blower Dr Li Wen Liang. Dr Li later died or was silenced is a matter of world speculation today.
The aforesaid camouflage left the world unprepared and led to the unfortunate and untimely death of 1.5 lakh people, which some call a mass murder, and led to the unprecedented shutdown of the world economy and total lockdown of the world, with the exception of China.
The Chinese government as late as December 31 last year categorically stated there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission whereas by December 27 last year, Wuhan already had hundreds of coronavirus cases and when viewed with Dr Li's whistleblowing, the Chinese camouflage gets blown away.
The point is cemented by reports of the sudden unexplained loss of 2.1 million mobile connections and 1.26 million loss of landlines in the affected region of China whereas the Chinese telecom industry has been continuously growing over many years.
Another fact that raises grave suspicion about China is that it linked any statement related to the coronavirus, its research and samples to its National Security Protocol, meaning a complete blackout of any information from China about the coronavirus. The Chinese stock market surprisingly held its ground whereas the world stock markets crashed. The world is in lockdown and the Chinese are functioning. The virus did not reach not faraway Shanghai and Beijing, but travelled thousands of kilometres to Europe, Iran, Saudi Arabia, USA and so on. The situation led to the worldwide economic crisis, coupled with the predatory practices of Chinese companies buying cheap stakes in companies in distress worldwide. This prompted various countries, including India, to change their laws related to FDI where government approval became mandatory in certain cases. Some are labelling the acts of China as bioterrorism designed to be used against the perceived Chinese enemy nations.
It is also widely believed that the Chinese hid the coronavirus facts from the USA and the world till the US-China trade deal was signed. The reason -- the pandemic being part of the Force Majure (Act of God) clause, which allows the Chinese to not adhere to the clause of buying back specified amount of American goods in the event of a pandemic to even out the trade deficit against the US. The Force Majure clause of the pandemic gives a escape route to China to not adhere to the trade deal. The Americans are clearly stunned and outfoxed and have to come up with an urgent response.The COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a pandemic.
The Chinese supply of PPE kits are being increasingly found to be defective. The Chinese seem to be maximising their advantage from the miseries of the world.
Today China, under immense pressure from the world, has found a convenient scapegoat in people of African origin who are being discriminated in China where they are being blamed for bringing the coronavirus. African countries, led by Kenya, are reacting by demanding that all Chinese be evicted from Kenya.
Recent reports in the Wall Street Journal and Reuters have said the Chinese may have recently conducted low-level nuclear tests. What does it point to? Some kind of anticipated and perceived confrontation in view of the global coronavirus outcry.
Under pressure, the Wuhan city government recently increased its COVID-19 death tally by 50%, having "missed" earlier.
However, the world is responding to the Chinese in various ways -- from suggesting freezing and taking over of worldwide Chinese assets to forming a global new world order. Reports say that in the US, a group called Freedom Watch along with Larry Cayman and company Buzz Photos, have sued the Chinese government, the Chinese Army and Wuhan Institute of Virology for $20 trillion for interalia coronavirus damage. A UK think-tank, the Henry Jackson Society, is planning to sue the Chinese for $6.5 trillion as the amount being spent by G7 countries in fighting the coronavirus and the crippled economies.
German newspaper BILD has sent a bill to the Chinese government saying Beijing owes 130 billion pounds for coronavirus damage.
The Chinese are being sued under International Law. The Chinese liability, if established, is also fixed under International Health Regulations (IHRs) where WHO provides structures to bring suit under IHRs. The IHRs became more stringent after the SARS outbreak and require nations to monitor and share with other nations information about the transmission of pathogens that are potentially transmissible internationally. The Chinese, having failed to do so by covering up the outbreak and by not providing the accurate information about COVID-19 at an early stage and having done nothing to prevent the infection from leaving China. In fact, rather facilitating its spread have opened themselves up for worldwide litigation. The countries are also exploring to sue China at other forums such as International Court of Justice, Permanent Court of Arbitration, WTO, under UN Convention on Law of Seas and Bilateral Treaties.
The planet is looking at a new world order after this pandemic. The Chinese veto in UNSC makes the UN irrelevant and the WHO's role is under attack and, therefore, either the P5 is expanded to include India or the new world order evolves new universal organisations that can effectively address the unique problems with India also given a preeminent position that rectifies its post-independence blunders of the then leadership. India's goodwill in times of the coronavirus crisis and helping the world in supplying essential drugs cannot be ignored. The world is looking at India to restore the balance of power in close association with others and the same cannot be done without India's association whether geopolitically, financially, politically, economically or militarily.
India has to seize the opportunity and to ensure, to begin with the US, Japanese, South Korean and other companies trying to move out of China to establish their manufacturing bases in India. In crisis lies the opportunity.
There are lessons for China too. A country cannot succeed by bulldozing others and the Dragon can learn a lesson or two from the Elephant.
The solution to the present crisis for China is across the table and not in confrontation. Today India is very uniquely placed as a friend, philosopher and guide to the world. The circle is going to be complete once again.
(The author is a Supreme Court lawyer and a member of the Akhil Bhartiya Adhivakta Parshad. Views are personal.)
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