How China and Russia are Weaponizing Coronavirus

It’s no secret that neither China nor Russia is any great friend to the United States. Both countries seek to diminish our standing in the world, and to weaken us wherever possible. Now, they see an opportunity to use the growing challenge of COVID-19 to gain leverage over us, hurt our international status, and rattle our economy.

China Pushes Conspiracy Theories, Threatens Pharmaceutical Supplies

China has spent the last three years finally feeling some pressure from Uncle Sam. For the last 50 years, the US has done everything possible to accommodate Red China’s rise, thinking it was in our best interest to bring Mao and later leaders into the global community. The result: we’ve been taken for the ride of the century. President Trump, recognizing the true nature of the relationship, has finally started to put some pressure on the country to play fair economically.

Now, China sees an opportunity to capitalize on growing coronavirus challenges in the US, and to throw dirt on the American name. Chinese officials are starting to field wild conspiracies regarding COVID-19, outrageously blaming the US military for a disease that started in China.

Prominent Chinese diplomat, Lijian Zhao, recently tweeted, “It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!” This is an insulting claim, made all the more outrageous by the virus’ Chinese origins.

Going even farther, Communist party mouthpieces are broadcasting a threat to disrupt the US pharmaceutical industry, which depends far too heavily on Chinese ingredients and medications. Chinese state media espoused the country’s ability to impose export controls on pharmaceuticals, throwing the US into “the mighty sea of coronavirus.” This weaponization of vital medicine in a time of global pandemic, a pandemic which began in China, would be nothing short of an act of war.

Hackers and nation-state actors are weaponizing information about coronavirus to spread malware (in Italy) and disinformation (allegedly from Russia), according to @Sophos @_CPResearch_ @proofpoint & the @StateDept. Dive in for details w/ @CyberScoopNews https://t.co/8VFSZAtj6S

— Shannon Vavra (@shanvav) March 6, 2020

Russia Pounces on Falling Oil Prices

Russia has refused to cooperate with OPEC to cut production and keep oil prices stable. Thanks to high production, and oil demand falling due to coronavirus, oil prices have plummeted to their lowest levels in nearly two decades. Saudi Arabia is taking Russia to task, raising production as well in an effort to force Russia to the table. Since Russia is a major oil exporter, why would it want to keep oil prices so low? The answer lies with US energy dominance.

Despite opposition claims that Trump is secretly a Putin stooge (perhaps one of the most absurd mainstream news claims to come out of the last three years), the Trump Administration has taken a harder line on Russia than the Obama administration in many respects. One prominent example is the introduction of tougher sanctions on Russia for continuing to antagonize Ukraine, and for offensive cyber campaigns against US security systems.

These sanctions have often targeted one of Russia’s most crucial industries: oil. At the same time, US energy power has risen tremendously in the last six years, starting with the Obama administration and heavily ramped up during the Trump years.  The US has passed Russia as the world’s largest energy producer, gradually taking market share from the motherland.

Putin is tired of the US dominating the energy market, and of Trump using his country’s hefty economic leverage to bring Russia in line. He sees an opportunity to finally bring down US shale with bargain-barrel oil prices. The US oil industry employs higher technology and pays higher salaries, so our cost basis is higher than for countries like Saudi Arabia or Russia. Putin’s gamble is that if he can keep oil prices down long enough, the US oil industry will crumble.

Now is the Time to Unite

Our adversaries, capitalizing on a difficult moment for the United States and the rest of the world, are seeking to hurt the United States politically and economically. They even threaten to deprive us of vital pharmaceuticals at a time when we need them most.

To weather the storm ahead, it is imperative that the country put petty political differences aside, and see with clear eyes the external threats that face us. This is all the more challenging during an election year, but it’s crucial to our security and prosperity.

From energy to medical supply chains, we must realize that cooperation with our allies, and independence from our foes, makes us stronger. For all his faults, the current president is finally waking us up to the threats at our doorstep.