The president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haas, has been busy writing elegies to the Western world order every time Trump sneezes. Now he sees what will follow that order. This week he tweeted, “US standing taking a hit b/c of how badly we are handling #coronavirus at home & how little we’re doing for others. China, despite its being where the virus began & its dropping the ball at first, gaining influence b/c it is meeting the challenge at home & offering help to others.” A number of suddenly soft-headed analysts are saying the same — that China is increasing its soft power in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
This is dangerous nonsense. Much of it is motivated by a hatred of Donald Trump that extends beyond the legitimate criticisms of how he handled the virus. It rests on grading China on a curve, on admiring the bully and harasser for his occasional moments of charm or remorse.
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