China strongly criticizes US for passive support to India... "Caught in America First policy"

"US Without 'America First' Has No Right to Interfere in Other Countries"
High Criticism of US in India Participating in Quad... China Interprets as 'Yi Yi Je Yi'

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China has fiercely criticized the United States as a country trapped in nationalism in relation to India's severe COVID-19 situation.

Chinese media such as the official Xinhua News Agency and Global Times reported on the 26th that India is facing a catastrophic level of crisis, with daily COVID-19 confirmed cases reaching 350,000 and daily deaths approaching 3,000.

China announced that it would provide COVID-19 prevention supplies such as oxygen concentrators and masks to India on humanitarian grounds. China and India have long been in dispute over border issues. Above all, tensions between the two countries have peaked as India participates in the U.S.-led Quad.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also said at a regular briefing, "China supports the Indian government and people fighting COVID-19," adding, "China is ready to provide support and assistance according to India's needs and is communicating with the Indian side for this purpose."

The Global Times reported that after shocking photos of cremated COVID-19 victims were released, there has been a flood of opinions in China supporting aid to India. It also pointed out that the U.S. has shown indifference and selfish behavior toward India, a Quad member country.

The Global Times urged the U.S. to lift the export ban on vaccine raw materials so that India, facing a disaster, can increase vaccine production, but said the U.S. has not responded to this request.

The media outlet stated that despite India taking a leading role in the U.S.-China conflict by participating in the Quad, the U.S., caught up in nationalism, has neglected India's difficulties, leading to growing criticism within India that the U.S. is an "unreliable country." It said India was only used for the U.S.'s "China-bashing."

The outlet also conveyed the words of an Indian resident living in Maharashtra state. He said, "Hospitals are overflowing with patients, and both the rich and ordinary people are facing the same difficulties," adding, "India's healthcare system has collapsed."

Somil Nagpal, Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, said, "Although India is a vaccine contract manufacturing country, it does not have enough vaccines to meet domestic demand," and added, "The situation has worsened because it has not been able to receive necessary vaccine raw materials from overseas suppliers."

Jin Chanlong, professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, criticized the U.S. ban on vaccine raw material supplies to India, saying, "The Biden administration is continuing the 'America First' policy of the Trump administration."

Lv Xiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out, "Indian Prime Minister Modi trusted U.S. support at the first Quad summit hosted by President Biden last March," adding, "India has become a victim of America's empty promises, and U.S. selfishness has disappointed the international community." He continued, "This has once again reminded the international community how unreliable and selfish a partner the U.S. is," and said, "The U.S. has lost the moral authority to interfere in other countries."

The Global Times added that the U.S. has so far dismissed China, which supports developing countries with vaccines, as a country conducting 'vaccine diplomacy,' and that U.S. foreign policy is based on America First nationalism.

Meanwhile, as calls from the international community for humanitarian aid to India grew louder, the U.S. announced on the same day that it would provide vaccine raw materials to India, but there was no mention of providing finished vaccines that could have an immediate effect.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.