The originator of the pandemic which is rapidly spreading its deadly wings across the world, China took everyone by surprise after offering to help India as the country battles the unprecedented second wave of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. But as it turns out it was all hokum, as top Chinese cargo airline has suspended flights to India.
After China’s repeated offers of “support and assistance” to India to fight the pandemic, state-owned Sichuan Airlines has suspended its services to India for 15 days because of the surge in Wuhan coronavirus cases.
The suspension of flight operations would likely disrupt the efforts of Indian private companies to import medical supplies including oxygen concentrators to fight the virus from China.
Currently, Sichuan Airlines operated 10 flights on six routes to four Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. The airlines in a letter to the sales agents said, “…in the face of sudden changes in the epidemic situation (in India), in order to reduce the number of imported cases, it is decided” to suspend the flights.
It added that the India route has “always been the core strategic route for Sichuan Airlines” but added that the Indian Covid-19 outbreak had not only caused “…a record number of deaths but also caused a surge in imported cases in China, many places in the world have grounded flights to India.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry while did not offer any comment on the suspension of cargo flights, its spokesperson, Wang Wenbin attempted to brazen it out as he parroted that China was ready to help India. “As I said, China is willing to provide necessary support and help to India in its fight against the virus. If India raises specific demands, we will provide help and support to the best of our capability,” said Wenbin.
He added, “We have stated that we are ready to help India fight the virus in the first opportunity available. (The) two sides are in communication regarding this.”
Wenbin said, “About India’s readiness to buy medical supplies from China, I understand this is a commercial activity. If India raises specific demands, China is ready to provide help and support to the best of capability.”
China has no interest in helping any country fight the pandemic which was its own creation, the revanchist state is only interested in profiteering. From supplying faulty testing kits to vaccines with questionable efficacy – China’s conduct amidst the pandemic has been deplorable, to say the least.