Entire world is locked down in the given time. Entire machinery of the global administrations has engaged into an uneven battle. The enemy is a virus that has killed more than 1,14,000 people and affected more than 18 lakh across the globe. The worst sufferer is Italy and other European nations including United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany and others.
But United States of America becoming the new epicenter of this virus affecting more than 5,58,000 people and killing more than 22,000 people is something that is really hard to believe. British royal family, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, other top leaders, celebrities and eminent personalities getting infected by this fatal virus expose the gravity of the situation.
In India, the Covid-19 has already killed more than 250 people and affected more than 7500 when I am writing this piece. Doctors getting infected by this virus and losing lives have across the world proved that the global society is sitting on a volcano that may erupt any time.
Apart from medical aspects, there are some important points. First is economic impact of this catastrophe. Complete shutdown of all activities indicates that production has stopped; companies are shutting down resulting in large scale unemployment particularly in the unorganised sector, the most viable one for any developing or underdeveloped nation.
In case of India, situation is alarming as apart from the supply of grocery, medicine, vegetable, fish and a few such essential commodities, all are stopped. The pandemic indeed has broken down the economy of many nations, and this is logical apprehension that the coming days will be tougher.
All these demand giving an overview how this menace erupted and engulfed the people of entire world directly or indirectly. Like many other earlier viruses such as SARS in 2003, Avian influenza in 2010, Wild poliovirus in 2011, A (H7N9) virus in 2013, the genesis of Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 is China. China’s city Wuhan is the epicenter of this deadly virus that has closed down normal life across the world.
This is yet to be ascertained whether virus generated for natural reason or because of the lick age in the Wuhan-based laboratory, which is often called laboratory biological weapon. At this point of time, none of these is confirmed. This is true that Beijing authority has rejected these as false allegations and the World Health Organization has not ratified the same yet.
However, question arises, why did China try to suppress the fact in this context? First case of confirmed Coronavirus in China took place in December 2019. As per reports “the first confirmed case of COVID-19 has been traced back to December 1, 2019 in Wuhan; one unconfirmed report suggests the earliest case was on November 17.” Now it is important to mention when China let the international community know about this. This bears special significance. In fact, lot of dramas took place between outbreak of new virus in China and the official acknowledgement of Beijing regarding this.
As per reports, “On January 20, nearly two months after noticing the outbreak, China acknowledged the human-to-human transmission. On January 23, it took the first steps to quarantine Wuhan.” Along with China ideological fans of this communist and authoratian regime may give the argument that China brought the fact to the notice of World Health Organisation (WHO) in December last year. But question is: did China inform the gravity and magnitude of this deadly virus and its rapid human contamination? Could WHO officials know what actually happened in Wuhan-based laboratory? So also, the mysterious death of Chinese doctor who first warned his government of the Coronavirus outbreak puts a big question mark.
On the same breath, one must admit the fact that China promised to ban “wet markets” after the 2003 outbreak of SARS which has been the epicenter of deadly virus so far. This time too, the “wet markets” became the epicenter of Coronavirus. There is nothing to say about China’s food habit. However, if these habits jeopardise human life in the form of virus, there is logical point to make objections.
There are some important aspects of the whole episode. This is important to note that although Covid-19 created havoc in Italy, France, UK, Spain and other important countries of the entire Europe, physical distance between Wuhan and Europe is 7,820 km. Similarly, the distance between Wuhan and New York is 12,033 km, distance between Wuhan and Australia is 6,545 km, and Africa is located 9,536 km away from Wuhan. Point is all these regions came under the attack of the deadly virus, whereas China’s Shanghai city that is located only 839 km from Wuhan, there is no report of corona infection. Same is the case in Beijing that is located only 1,152 km from Wuhan has remained completely safe from this virus, no case of casualty or infection has been reported because of Coronavirus there.
People of the entire world have been aware of the magnitude of contamination of this virus and put them virtually in house arrest by the respective governments. But beyond Wuhan city, there seems no trace of Covid-19 case in other parts of China. Pro-China faction will certainly hail it as the grand success of China’s medical sector. However, the havoc created in Wuhan city tells a different story. Even if, one keeps aside the conspiracy theory, this is crystal clear that China by suppressing the reality only misguided the international community and endangered crores of people. Is this expected from a nation like China which is a permanent member of UN Security Council? Every sensible individual should ponder this important question.
But the things evolved in last week of March delineate China’s strategic game-plan with the Made in China Virus. At a time when the entire world is locked down, normalcy returned to China and Chinese companies engaged into comprehensive production of Corona testing kits, medical ventilators and other important life-saving medical equipment. Significantly, Beijing’s all-weather friend Pakistan received these as aids from China. As per reports on March 27, “following urgent calls for medical supplies, Pakistan on Friday received tonnes of protective gear and testing kits from China to contain the spread of Coronavirus. The continuing and unprecedented assistance from China via air and road comes at a critical time when Pakistan’s ill-equipped medical workers struggle to treat patients as the number of confirmed cases surpassed 1,200 on Friday.”
The same report says, “Pakistan will receive around 20 tonnes of medical goods and 20 ventilators on an urgent basis from China this week, said Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lt Gen. Mohammed Afzal, during March 27 media talk. Additionally, two more planes would bring 100 tonnes of urgently needed medical equipment from Beijing and Chengdu next week.”
There is nothing wrong if China gives medical aid to Pakistan or any other country at this juncture. However, the more important point is China’s intension not to let the world community know about this. But why did China wait? Well, from there strategic agenda of China becomes visible. Chinese intension shows that Beijing wanted this to happen so that economy of most of the nations gets spoiled. In fact, the same thing is happening. Lockdown and other measures taken by all the countries under compulsion will have far-reaching impact on economy.
China and its economy remaining vibrant will ultimately increase the global community’s dependence on the country. This is what China wants that fuels its strategic mission. But international politics is always unpredictable. US President Donald Trump who has been much vocal against China on spreading its so-called biological weapon Covid-19 recently called to Chinese President and proposed co-operative joint action against this. China naturally reciprocated.
But there is need to put pressure on China for the act done by Beijing administration. One needs to understand the larger magnitude of the problem. Prevailing situation resembles the time of the World Wars. There is apprehension of increasing problem of crime-rates after the menace is over because of economic slowdown, large scale of unemployment, rising poverty and hunger and non-state actors getting opportunity to revive buttering up the growing resentment.
Chinese connection will make the situation far more vulnerable, which is a part of China’s strategic mission. Should world community pay price for the repeated blunder of China? Should ‘wet-markets’ of China keep running in the same manner? These questions are relevant for all those nations that do not want to live in the laps of China or United States. India belongs to that group. New Delhi should lead a mission to corner China on this issue. If China is giving weapon to backfire, India must include it in her strategic game plan.
Along with all hardships, the situation on the backdrop of Covid 19 has given some opportunities to harness for India in the strategic and diplomatic fronts. Also, India must remain pro-active to secure her border with China and Pakistan against any possible escalations. Similarly, India must make efforts to convince the small nations of South East Asia regarding this. India’s medical aid to Nepal and Bhutan is praiseworthy. This should be extended with a proper strategic vision in the days ahead. In a word, rising grievance against China should be put into proper use and as a means to counter Beijing by New Delhi on the strategic fronts.
The writer is a Guwahati-based strategic affairs expert
