The record shows China has risen to the coronavirus challenge admirably, whatever the US may believe

The spat between China and the US over the coronavirus simmers on as American politicians continue to “hold China accountable” for the self-inflicted tragedies from America’s ill-coordinated and belated response to Covid-19.

For the White House, shifting the blame to China, to avoid taking responsibility, was an expedient political ploy. It is certainly far easier than exercising effective leadership. As some US hawks fumed that China was emerging as a saviour in this global pandemic, they fumbled in their clumsy attempts to neutralise Beijing’s perceived diplomatic gains. 

China’s initial handling of the epidemic was somewhat confusing, characterised by impeded disclosure at home and prompt communications internationally. China informed the World Health Organisation of the new pneumonia on December 31. At the start of the new year, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was already talking to its Chinese counterpart about the new disease.

On January 9, Chinese CDC and the WHO both reported that the new pneumonia was caused by a novel coronavirus. Over the next few days, the virus’ genetic sequence was made available to others by Chinese institutions to help develop diagnostic kits.

After the WHO activated its incident management system for the new disease on January 2, the US CDC established the same on January 7. Even before the first death of Covid-19 in Wuhan on January 9, the world was on notice.