A staff member displays samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at Sinovac Biotech Ltd., in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2020. Photo: Xinhua
US Republican senator Rick Scott, who has been a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, has repeatedly spread rumors and told lies to defame China. He shocked many people last month when he said every single Chinese citizen is a "Communist spy." Now, he's playing dirty tricks again. On BBC's "Andrew Marr Show" on Sunday, he accused China of trying to block the development of a COVID-19 vaccine in the West. He said Beijing "won't cheer" if the US or the UK is the first to develop a vaccine, and that if China develops it first, "they are not going to share."
Scott refused to offer evidence of his claim, although he was pressed by the program host on the issue twice. He said he can't share all intelligence he sees. If there is real evidence, why can't he make it public? The US claims to have evidence of many smears against China, but never provided any. It's obvious Scott's new accusation is nothing but a lie to deceive Americans.
Ugly politicians like Scott have become the source of rumors and lies about China. It seems they would like to make false accusations against China as long as they can fool Americans, even if only a small group of voters, to gain votes.
The US has the biggest numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the world, and the figures keep rising. The development of a vaccine is of particular significance and getting more urgent. Scott is a representative of the group of far-right anti-China lawmakers. He offers no solutions to the widely spreading disease but is obsessed with blaming China.
He was obviously attempting to incite Americans' hostility toward China by throwing mud at China over vaccine research. He really underestimates American voters. How can they be so easily fooled?
It makes no sense that Scott claimed China wouldn't share the vaccine if China develops it first. China so far has actively promoted and participated in international cooperation in the process of vaccine development. Chinese President Xi Jinping promised at the World Health Assembly in May that any vaccine that China would have developed will become a "global public good" when it is ready for use. In fact, worries are increasing that the US, rather than China, is trying to secure vaccines for itself only. It's the US that has acted in its narrow self-interest, and is trying to monopolize the future vaccines.
It was reported in March that the Trump administration has offered CureVac, a German biopharmaceutical company, "large sums of money" for exclusive access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Who dares to expect such a selfish country to share vaccines?
Many countries are scrambling to develop the vaccines. By accusing China of trying to sabotage the US vaccine development efforts, do US politicians fear their country might lose in the vaccine race? Are they looking for excuses? Why are they so insecure? China is making steady progress in its own vaccine development. Facing those politicians, China should continue to promote international cooperation in vaccine development with an open attitude while accelerating its own efforts in developing vaccines.
