Dr. Corr misconstrues the Asia Society statement. It in no way plays into Chinese propaganda, quite the contrary. The entire fourth paragraph of the statement is devoted to pointing out Chinese faults, missteps and propaganda efforts in their response to the virus and goes on to make the case that it remains in the U.S. interest to both have limited cooperation on the Coronavirus while holding the Chinese accountable. The letter is explicit that the U.S. should not concede our interests or values to cooperate in fighting the virus.
As Dr. Kissinger points out, “no Country, not even the U.S. can in a purely national effort overcome the virus.” Dr Corr’s argument suggests a false choice, that the Chinese are our enemies or allies. What the Asia Society statement suggests is the more nuanced reality, that while the Chinese are clearly U.S. adversaries and rivals in many areas, it is in our national interest to make them our partners on the Coronavirus, where it is to the U.S. advantage and where we cannot succeed alone.