The US and China are effectively locked in a conspiratorial blame game over the origins of coronavirus. In some Chinese quarters, claims have emerged that the virus was released by a US soldier during the Wuhan Military World Games in October 2019.
Meanwhile, the US, more specifically Donald Trump, suggests he has seen evidence that proves coronavirus originated in a Chinese Laboratory.
This assertion seemingly undercut US intelligence services who have repeatedly said there is no reason to believe the virus is man made.
The US national intelligence director’s office said it was still investigating how the virus began, but went as far as to say it had determined COVID-19 “was not man made or genetically modified”.
China and the US have been at a war of sorts for centuries.
Whether over opium in the 19th century, the US’ expulsion of China from America during the gold rush and railroad expansion, or the 20th century Maoist revolution and subsequent Cold War – there has not been an amicable moment between the two for hundreds of years.
Many have drawn attention to the vast sums of money both sides have spent in a bid to out-muscle the other.
In recent years these amounts have sky-rocketed into the trillions of dollars.
It has led to questions of whether investments have gone too far, and if a war has become more a manifestation of itself as opposed to the real thing.
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During Australian journalist John Pilger’s 2016 documentary ‘The Coming War on China’, experts drew attention to how and why China and the US continue to wage a bloodless war.
Mr Pilger asks author and China expert, James Bradley whether or not the US is already at war with China.
Mr Bradley replied: “Yes. On the ground and in the air.
“The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, President Barack Obama, has committed to trillions of dollars to our nuclear arsenal.
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“He’s committing trillions of future dollars to war and space.
“We need an enemy for all this money and China’s the perfect enemy.”
The US spends a considerable amount of its federal discretionary spending – often over half – on the military.
In 2015, a total of $598.5billion (£476.8billion) on the military.
In 2016, China spent $146billion (£116million) on the military – second to only the US in the world.
On Thursday, during a White House coronavirus press briefing, Trump was asked by a reporter: “Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus?”
Trump replied: “Yes, I have. Yes, I have.
“And I think the World Health Organisation (WHO) should be ashamed of themselves because they’re like the public relations agency for China.”
Asked later to clarify his comment, Trump said: “I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that.”
It is not the first time Trump has attacked the WHO for alleged bowing down to China.
In April, the president cut off the US’ funding of the WHO – the public health body’s biggest source of income from a nation state.
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