COVID-19 outbreak is 'rare opportunity' for India to question China: European think tank

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, a European think tank has said on May 1 that the pandemic has provided India with “rare” and welcoming opportunity to raise questions on China. According to the European Foundation For South Asian Studies, in the coronavirus which originated in China, the government of mainland has showcased “scant regard” for the rule of law or for human rights. In the political aspect of the COVID-19 outbreak, the United States, some European and Western countries have accused the Chinese government of “mishandling” of the pandemic along with the World Health Organisation. 

EFSAS has said that China displayed “gross irresponsibility and callousness” while responding to the novel virus which was reportedly discovered in December 2019 but has now infected over 3.4 million people across the globe and killed 239,604 people. Without any definite vaccine or cure of the deadly disease, world leaders are constantly battling between balancing the economy and health of their respective countries. The European think tank believes that India and other like-minded countries can come together to initiate a debate over the matter of China "can enjoy veto powers" over law-abiding nations.

The European think tank said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has presented India with a rare and welcome opportunity to question how an autocratic regime that has scant regard for the rule of law or for human rights, which has displayed gross irresponsibility and callousness in unleashing the COVID-19 upon the world."

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'Victim of disinformation'

While pressure continues to mount on China over the discrepancy in its numbers of coronavirus cases and infections, its foreign ministry spokesperson has said that the mainland has not initiated any misinformation. During the daily press briefing, while answering a question about a report by the European Union that stated China was spreading disinformation, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang reportedly said on April 27 that China is not “instigator” of such information but a “victim” of disinformation. 

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