Learn from Cold War history

“The virus is a reputational disaster for China, as well as a health and economic one, with ordinary citizens now experiencing the impact of its actions around the world” (Karen Middleton, “Not exactly China plates”, April 25– May 1). And as usual the West is reacting in precisely the wrong way in setting China (and the World Health Organization) up as a global scapegoat. China cannot be let off the hook in an unprecedented global existential crisis. But we are making the same mistake we did with Russia after the Cold War, of kicking a proud (if not always justified) country when it is down, particularly one that has good historical reasons for resenting Western attitudes, encroachment, invasion, exploitation and humiliation over a long and unfortunate colonial period. By all means have an internationally convened investigation into the outbreak; we need it. But let’s make sure it really is independent and does not pre-empt its conclusions by singling out one country before it has even begun, effectively alienating that country and virtually guaranteeing poor or no co-operation. The Western international community and its neoliberal economic system has its own house to get in order after its collective shortcomings have been made abundantly clear by this pandemic. Let’s not make the mistake of further antagonising each other by attempting to deflect attention from our own failings in our effort to understand and deal with a crisis no one, on this planet we are slowly cooking, can escape blame for.

– Tor Larsen, Marrickville, NSW