China-US cooperation imperative to global fight against COVID-19

Across-the-spectrum cooperation, not blame game with ulterior motives, is desperately needed now to prevail over the COVID-19 pandemic that has indiscriminately wreaked havoc throughout the world.

Many brilliant minds are fully aware of the importance of global solidarity and international cooperation, especially between the world's two largest economies, in this battle.

A group of 100 Chinese academics on Thursday published an open letter to US media, calling on Washington to end the political blame game and work together with Beijing to defeat the virus that has infected over 1 million people worldwide and paralyzed the global economy.

"Political bickering does nothing to contribute to the healthy development of Sino-US relations, nor will it help the people of the world to rationally and accurately understand and cope with the pandemic," the letter said, urging cooperation between "two of the great countries on Earth" in order to bring a more positive outcome for all humankind.

The world needs such rational and calm voices to truly rise to the occasion.

Prominent policy experts on the other side of the Pacific also acknowledged cooperation between the United States and China is essential to save lives in America and around the world.

A total of 93 US bipartisan, former high-ranking government officials and experts released a joint statement Friday, stressing that no effort against the coronavirus will be successful without cooperation between the United States and China.

Unfortunately, they arrogantly stick to the habit of scapegoating and blaming others, ignoring China's great efforts and sacrifice.

The experts repeated in their statement unfounded allegations by some US politicians, accusing China of mishandling the health crisis and turning a blind eye to the fact is that China's quick and decisive response to stem the virus' spread bought the world time and drew praise from the international community.

Despite having very little knowledge of the novel coronavirus, China perceived the graveness of the viral outbreak and significance of global cooperation to tackle it from the very beginning. Beijing has been sharing information on coronavirus prevention and control with the world in a timely and transparent manner. It has also provided help to other countries where support and medical supplies are in dire need.

In an opinion piece published by the Guardian, Richard Horton, editor of medical journal The Lancet, said: "under immense pressure, as the epidemic exploded around them, they (Chinese scientists) took time to write up their findings in a foreign language and seek publication in a medical journal thousands of miles away. Their rapid and rigorous work was an urgent warning to the world."

However, Washington neglected the alarm raised by China, with some politicians busy with evading responsibilities and finger pointing, which only led to a waste of precious time and to a worse scenario.

As of Saturday, confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States have topped 278,000, with the death toll surpassing 7,100.

The blame game serves neither the interests of the United States nor China's. Such a counterproductive trick needs to stop.

China and the United States share far more interests than differences in the battle against their common enemy, the coronavirus. The final victory will only be achieved through global solidarity and cooperation.