The Chinese government is engaged in a global battle to shape the narrative about the coronavirus. If the story that dominates the headlines is “China Did It,” that is very dangerous to the legitimacy of the Communist Party, at home and abroad. But if the story that dominates is “China Is Saving The World,” then the party’s global aspirations are vastly improved. China could arguably be the world’s leader, given the collapse of American interests in the rest of the world.
So it is incredible that the Chinese government intimidated the European Union to water down a report about precisely who is shaping the narrative, as per this story in the New York Times today. If our closest allies can be muscled into submission, the world order that Americans helped create in the aftermath of World War II is clearly falling apart. One of the challenges facing the next U.S. administration, assuming there is a transition, will be to revitalize America’s global vision. It is in our own self-interest to do so.
