Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2020

Shi Jiangtao in Hong Kong/Beijing and Wendy Wu, SCMP: Coronavirus infects China-US relations as blame game over pandemic intensifies

* The global health crisis has killed tens of thousands of people, battered economies and put a severe dent in Beijing’s relations with other countries
* In the face of a possible global backlash, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country must be prepared for unprecedented external adversity and challenges

This is the second in a series of five stories exploring the global backlash that China may face as a result of its actions and rhetoric during the coronavirus pandemic. This story examines the outlook for China-US relations, including the risk that the pandemic’s impact and the responses of China and the US to it will push the two largest economies in the world into a new Cold War.

The new coronavirus has caused a global disease epidemic and all but turned the lights out on much of the world’s economy. The next ripple effect could be a new Cold War, this time between China and the United States.

The world’s two biggest economies are still trying to grasp the unprecedented scale of the pandemic’s consequences.

Global growth forecasts have been ripped up and job losses are running into the millions and counting, while governments are pulling together rescue packages worth hundreds of billions of dollars that dwarf those of the financial crisis 12 years ago.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2020

Coronavirus: how will China’s role in the global economy change when faced with pandemic backlash? -- Zhou Xin, SCMP

Coronavirus crisis has highlighted a critical juncture as China dominates the West -- Stan Grant, ABC News Online

Coronavirus: they’re only answering Xi Jinping’s call but are China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ diplomats doing more harm than good? -- SCMP

Weapons don't fight pandemics -- Miodrag Soric, DW

Is Persian Gulf heading toward a new confrontation? -- Kersten Knipp, DW

Coronavirus: China faces fight to hang onto foreign manufacturers as US, Japan, EU make Covid-19 exit plans -- Finbarr Bermingham , Mark Magnier in United States and Sidney Leng, SCMP

India’s new bridge in Himalayas could potentially reignite China border dispute -- SCMP/Bloomberg

Is comparing Covid-19 death rates across Europe helpful? -- The Guardian

EU puts positive spin on coronavirus rescue package disunity -- Bernd Riegert, DW

What would happen to North Korea if Kim Jong-un died? -- SCMP/AFP

Questions over Kim’s health highlight intelligence limits -- Kim Tong-Hyung, AP

Murder, power and army on the streets: Lesotho's deepening crisis. -- Al Jazeera

What growing epidemic in China killed 843,000 people across the nation in 2017? -- Eric Cheung, SCMP

The global economy was shattered before the coronavirus -- Kate Ferguson, DW

COVID-19 may increase risk of miscalculation and conflict with traditional adversaries -- Shawn Snow, Military Times