Chinese Media Says Country Could Withhold Medication from U.S.

Ellie Bufkin Mar 13, 2020

The United States could be at the mercy of Communist China when it comes to receiving drugs and raw materials needed to fight the Wuhan Virus, according to the state media of Communist China.

Xinhua, the state-run media agency, reported that the United States' reliance on China for pharmaceutical exports gave the communist nation the ability to send the U.S. "into the mighty sea" of the Wuhan virus. In the same article, China was lauded for its own handling of the novel virus.
Chinese health officials have claimed that while more than 80,000 people had been infected by the virus which originated in Wuhan, more than 60,000 have recovered. They reported that just over 3,100 people died because of infection, mostly people of advanced age or with underlying conditions.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) confirmed that the United States was too reliant on products made in China to produce drugs that could help fight the burgeoning pandemic within the U.S. Speaking to Fox News, Rubio said of China's threat, "It's a tremendous amount of leverage." The senator indicated that should they make good on their promise to withhold exports, the consequences could be devastating for the U.S.

Though the United States is a leader in research of medical treatments for novel illnesses, materials and manufacturing needed for new medications can only be sourced from China at the moment. Currently, China produces between 80-90% of antibiotics used in the U.S.

Further, Rubio said that the United States being in a position of need made it challenging to use a firm hand with the communist nation as they normally would in trade and export disputes. "They can threaten to cut us off from our pharmaceutical supplies, they could trigger a domestic problem here that would make it difficult for us to confront them."........ To Read More....