Hopes for G20 coronavirus summit truce in China-US war of words

World leaders could agree to work together to counter common threat from Covid-19 when they meet via teleconference, according to draft statement

But strategic mistrust between Beijing and Washington runs deep and there may be little more than a temporary ceasefire, analyst warns

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Times Square in New York on Monday. G20 leaders are expected to discuss ways to revive the global economy when they hold a virtual summit on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 10:00pm, 25 Mar 2020Updated: 8:43am, 26 Mar 2020

China and the United States are expected to call a timeout on their coronavirus blame game and focus on the challenges of the pandemic, when leaders of the Group of 20 hold talks via video conference on Thursday.

According to a draft statement to be discussed at the summit, the leaders are expected to agree that the coronavirus is a common threat to humanity and united efforts are required to fight it.

All eyes will be on the US and China, which have been locked in a war of words over a pandemic that has already infected more than 409,000 people and killed 18,300.

The US has criticised China, where the outbreak was first reported, for its slow initial response and attempts to silence people who raised the alarm about Covid-19, the disease caused by the previously unknown virus.

US President Donald Trump and other administration officials have also angered Beijing by referring to the disease as the “Chinese virus”, instead of Covid-19 as the World Health Organisation suggests. China sees the references as an attempt to stigmatise the country and pin the blame on a victim.

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