Inside Story

Is China facing a global backlash over coronavirus?

Has Beijing lost an opportunity to display global leadership, or can it overcome increasing suspicion of its motives?

Attempts by China’s leaders to divert attention from early cover-ups of the coronavirus outbreak seem to be backfiring.

Airlifts of medical supplies from China to Europe’s worst-hit countries have been quickly forgotten.

And Australia is calling for an international inquiry into COVID-19’s origins.

China’s ambassador responded by threatening boycotts of Australian beef and wine.

Chinese envoys in Germany and France have come under fire for criticising how governments there are dealing with the pandemic.

Can China overcome suspicion of its motives and regain trust?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests:

Einar Tangen – political analyst on Chinese affairs and former provincial government adviser

Bonnie Glaser – senior adviser for Asia and director of China Power Project at Center for Strategic and International Studies

Andreas Fulda – senior fellow at University of Nottingham’s Asia Research Institute