CoVid-19 crisis shows why Britain should NEVER do a trade deal with America

By TruePublica Editor: This story came to my attention a few days ago – and to be honest I thought it was just another fake news piece, a typical conspiracy theory cooked up by some extreme oppositional campaigner. But, it turns out that the story is true.

The Donald Trump administration HAS offered “large sums of money” to get exclusive access and patent rights to a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German company. Die Welt reported yesterday and some of the national papers have gone with the story today.

According to the article, Trump was trying to get the Tübingen-based CureVac company — which also has sites in Frankfurt and Boston — to move its research wing to the United States and develop the vaccine “for the U.S. only.”

A spokesperson for Germany’s Health Ministry quoted in the article appeared to acknowledge the U.S. approach and said that Berlin was “very interested in ensuring that vaccines and active substances against the new coronavirus are also developed in Germany and Europe.”

On Sunday afternoon, Germany’s Health Ministry told Reuters that its spokesperson had been quoted correctly in the newspaper article, confirming that Washington had attempted to take over the biopharmaceutical company. Government sources indicated that Berlin was now offering CureVac financial incentives to remain in Germany.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said at a press conference Sunday that he had heard about the CureVac reports and that it would be discussed at a crisis team meeting today (Monday).

Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, said on Twitter that the Welt report was “wrong.” But then no-one is going to believe the henchmen of Trump’s administration against the German government.

Last week, CureVac CEO Daniel Menichella was among the pharmaceutical representatives invited to the White House to discuss coronavirus vaccine development with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and members of the president’s so-called ‘Coronavirus Task Force’.

In a press release, the company said that Menichella had told U.S. officials about the vaccines it had in development, and revealed its hope to have an experimental vaccine ready by early summer.

The news prompted angry reactions from German politicians who demanded that Berlin do everything possible to prevent the U.S. from controlling access to an eventual coronavirus vaccine. These very strong words go to show the hostility towards America on such matters.

“The American regime has committed an extremely unfriendly act,” said Social Democrat MP Karl Lauterbach, who said that German health workers on the front lines — as well as people around the world — needed to have access to something developed in Germany and “that no country should be able to purchase exclusive access to the vaccine“.

“Capitalism has limits,” he said.

There have been reports, although unverified, that Trump wanted to keep the vaccine just for American citizens and sell it for $50 to $100 a shot.

 

Contrasting reactions

Contrast the differences between the two super-powers – America and China. Both have economic interests in China – America also has many millions of Italian descendants. America’s response to Italy’s terrible coronavirus crisis was nothing more than to lock Italy out. Flights have been banned from Europe to America. No help of any kind is offered. On the other hand, four days ago, Italy welcomed China’s offer to send a team of experts to share clinical data about efforts to contain the coronavirus.

The head of infectious disease at the National Institutes of Health in Italy said “Italy had a lot to learn from China“. Dr. Giovanni Rezza says that particularly includes data about its experimental anti-viral drug regimens and intensive care treatments. The Chinese authorities have also offered surplus protective gear, respirators and other equipment.

This morning it is reported that one Chinese company donated $343,000 of equipment.

Alessandra Zedda, vice president of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, said on a video call that the company’s donation reflected its social responsibility to fight the virus. Consisting of 40,000 N95 respirator masks, 1,800 protective suits and 250,000 pairs of medical gloves which all comply with EU criteria, the medical supplies will be distributed to designated hospitals in Sardinia after arrival. The Chinese company is a milk manufacturer with operations in Italy.

Another Chinese company with interest in Italy – Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd., a leading construction gear maker based in Hunan, shipped to Italy its first batch of 50,000 masks last Friday, which will be distributed to the front line by the Lombardy regional government. They have already sent 5,500 protective suits and 40,000 N95 respirator masks.

Fosun Foundation of the Shanghai-based Fosun Group, also donated 5,000 face masks to Milan’s municipal government early this month – “As a global corporation, we hope to be able to play a part in helping the world win this battle against the coronavirus as soon as possible,” said Fosun International’s chairman Guo Guangchang.

The point here is this. In a crisis, who do you think would take full advantage of your weakened position at that time? The American’s kicked Britain after WW2 as hard as possible to ensure its own economic prosperity was expanded. Its did the same again when the Suez Canal crisis came along – and when this came along its only response was to attempt to steal a life-saving vaccine, shut its borders and offer nothing at all. Britain should not forget who its real friends are and stop being a sycophant to a global bully whose real interests in the world are exposed by this German vaccine story.

 

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