MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. The United States will fail to create an international coalition that might demand from China a material compensation for the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, because Washington’s allies are reluctant to spoil relations with Beijing, the research director of the international discussion club Valdai, Fyodor Lukyanov, told TASS on Monday.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on April 24 said that Washington was trying to persuade the authorities of other countries that Beijing had allegedly concealed some information about the novel coronavirus.

"Attempts to create a coalition that might demand taking measures against China in connection with the spread of the coronavirus will fail. Those countries which are the United States’ allies in other organizations, for instance, in NATO, do support questions and calls being heard from Washington and the demand for explaining in greater detail the causes and origin of the coronavirus," Lukyanov said. "But I have very big doubts that somebody will join the United States in its attempts to put pressure on China materially by means of various embargoes. The European countries are afraid of China and would like to keep aloof from the Chinese-US standoff so as not to become hostages of this confrontation."

Lukyanov believes though that in the US the trend to file lawsuits against China seeking compensations for the effects of the pandemic will turn massive. In his opinion nobody should feel surprise over Washington’s criticism against Beijing, because the pandemic has not eased the confrontation between the two countries, but shifted it into higher gear. Moreover, the White House hopes this rhetoric will relieve it of the responsibility for the grave effects of the crisis on the United States and put the blame on an external adversary, China, Lukyanov said. Also, the reproaches against China sounded like a rebuke addressed to the Democrats.

"The Republicans argue that it was the Democratic Party and the [Barack Obama-led] Democratic administration that let China grow strong. In their opinion, China has been taking too much liberties, because Obama pursued a sluggish policy," Lukyanov said. "The current US leader, Donald Trump, resorted to harsh rhetoric when it was already too late. So it is the Democrats who are to blame for letting China being so defiant.

Background

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that China might face consequences, if it was proven that it had intentionally permitted an outbreak of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang replied that US politicians should stop making irresponsible statements and remember that their real enemy was the coronavirus, and not China.

On April 21, the authorities of Missouri claimed that the Chinese government had concealed information about the spread of the novel coronavirus. Missouri’s Attorney-General Eric Schmitt demanded in court China should be made pay a compensation. Missouri was the first US state to have sued China.

World Health Organization representative to Russia Melita Vujnovic earlier stated the organization was satisfied with the way China had shared information about the novel coronavirus-related epidemic and the lethal outcomes that had occurred in the city of Wuhan and Hubei province.