csmonitor--2020-06-05--After Floyd's memorial, peaceful protests and solidarity

The tenor of the protests set off by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police has taken a turn from the explosive anger that has fueled the setting of fires , breaking of windows , and other violence to a quiet , yet more forceful , grassroots call for more to be done to address racial injustice .
Many of the protests were more subdued for a second night as marches Thursday turned into memorials for Mr. Floyd , who was the focus of a heartfelt tribute Thursday in Minneapolis that drew family members , celebrities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At his service , strong calls were made for meaningful changes in policing and the criminal justice system .
At demonstration sites around the country , protesters said the quieter mood is the result of several factors : the new and upgraded criminal charges against the police officers involved in Mr. Floyd 's arrest ; a more conciliatory approach by police who have marched with them or taken a knee to recognize their message ; and the realization that the burst of rage after Mr. Floyd 's death is not sustainable .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riot every day for almost a week , '' said Costa Smith , who was protesting in downtown Atlanta .
Despite the shift in tone , protesters have shown no sign that they are going away and , if anything , are emboldened to stay on the streets to push for police reforms .
In New York City , Miguel Fernandes said there were `` a lot more nights to go '' of marching because protesters had n't got what they wanted .
And Mr. Floyd 's brother Terrence appeared in Brooklyn to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaring `` power to the people , all of us . ''
At the first in a series of memorials for Mr. Floyd , Rev .
Al Sharpton urged those gathered Thursday `` to stand up in George 's name and say , 'Get your knee off our necks ! '
'' Those at the Minneapolis tribute stood in silence for 8 minutes , 46 seconds – the amount of time Mr. Floyd was alleged to be on the ground under the control of police .
Mr. Floyd 's golden casket was covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was projected above the pulpit of a mural of Mr. Floyd painted at the street corner where he was arrested by police on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $ 20 bill at a convenience store .
The message on the mural : `` I can breathe now . ''
Mr. Sharpton vowed that this will become a movement to `` change the whole system of justice . ''
As the protests have taken root over the past week , they have become communities unto themselves .
In New York , where residents have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months because of the coronavirus pandemic , residents who ca n't go to a restaurant are happy to be able to go a protest .
People bring their dogs and share snacks and water bottles .
They have been heartened by police who have joined them .
`` It 's great to be alive , it 's history right now , '' said protester Kenyata Taylor .
In Atlanta , protester Nate Saint carried a sign that encouraged people to vote .
He attributed the reduction in violence in part to police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ passive they become , the more receptive , the more they listen , the less the protesters are going to react , '' he said .
A group of protesters stood near a line of police and National Guard troops .
Some cursed officers .
Others were seen talking to the officers .
It was a different scene from last Friday , when the city experienced widespread vandalism and looting following a peaceful demonstration .
Protester Hilliard Jones sat on a barricade in downtown Atlanta near police .
He 's been attending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence early on reflected centuries of injustice against blacks , he said .
`` If you 've been oppressed like we have for so long , eventually it 's going to explode , '' Mr. Jones said .
There were still skirmishes in the Bronx and elsewhere .
In Buffalo , a police commissioner suspended two officers after video from WBFO showed a man being shoved after walking up to police as they were enforcing a curfew Thursday night .
The man appeared to hit his head on the pavement and blood leaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man was hospitalized .
But in Texas , protesters cheered as Fort Worth officers joined the front of a march .
Police in Austin also walked with dozens of members of the University of Texas football team as they made their way from campus to the state Capitol to honor Mr. Floyd 's memory .
Once there , the group and police officers took a knee for 9 minutes .
`` This protest wo n't just stop here , '' junior Caden Sterns said .
`` To the white community ... if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you must change .
What I mean is , you must realize , and the oppressor must realize , you are oppressing . ''
Wednesday marked the first peaceful night of protests in Seattle since demonstrations began there last week .
The mayor and police chief there were hoping for more peace after meeting with community members .
They promised Thursday that officers would display their badge numbers , following complaints by protesters about the black bands police had placed on their badges to honor colleagues killed while on duty .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know you can continue to demonstrate .
We want you to continue making your voice heard , '' Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter .
The calm in Seattle followed a weekend of chaos that saw police vehicles burned and stores looted , and officers on Monday and Tuesday nights used pepper spray , tear gas , flash bangs , and rubber bullets to disperse crowds .
Protesters in some cities feel support from both police and white people is growing .
There have been instances of police kneeling and earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd chanted for the officers who were standing in the distance to join them .
One eventually did and told them they have support if they remain peaceful .
In Atlanta on Thursday , Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms walked with protesters downtown and told the crowd through a megaphone that `` there is something better on the other side of this . ''
`` We are in the midst of a movement in this country , '' she said .
`` But it 's going to be incumbent upon all of us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than our anger .
We got to be able to articulate what we want as our solutions . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP journalists across the U.S. contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The tenor of the protests set off by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police has taken a turn from the explosive anger that has fueled the setting of fires, breaking of windows, and other violence to a quiet, yet more forceful, grassroots call for more to be done to address racial injustice.
Many of the protests were more subdued for a second night as marches Thursday turned into memorials for Mr. Floyd, who was the focus of a heartfelt tribute Thursday in Minneapolis that drew family members, celebrities, politicians, and civil rights advocates. At his service, strong calls were made for meaningful changes in policing and the criminal justice system.
At demonstration sites around the country, protesters said the quieter mood is the result of several factors: the new and upgraded criminal charges against the police officers involved in Mr. Floyd's arrest; a more conciliatory approach by police who have marched with them or taken a knee to recognize their message; and the realization that the burst of rage after Mr. Floyd's death is not sustainable.
"Personally, I think you can't riot every day for almost a week," said Costa Smith, who was protesting in downtown Atlanta.
Despite the shift in tone, protesters have shown no sign that they are going away and, if anything, are emboldened to stay on the streets to push for police reforms.
In New York City, Miguel Fernandes said there were "a lot more nights to go" of marching because protesters hadn't got what they wanted. And Mr. Floyd's brother Terrence appeared in Brooklyn to carry on the fight for change, declaring "power to the people, all of us."
At the first in a series of memorials for Mr. Floyd, Rev. Al Sharpton urged those gathered Thursday "to stand up in George's name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks!'" Those at the Minneapolis tribute stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds – the amount of time Mr. Floyd was alleged to be on the ground under the control of police.
Mr. Floyd's golden casket was covered in red roses, and an image was projected above the pulpit of a mural of Mr. Floyd painted at the street corner where he was arrested by police on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. The message on the mural: "I can breathe now."
Mr. Sharpton vowed that this will become a movement to "change the whole system of justice."
As the protests have taken root over the past week, they have become communities unto themselves.
In New York, where residents have been stuck at home for nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, residents who can't go to a restaurant are happy to be able to go a protest. People bring their dogs and share snacks and water bottles. They have been heartened by police who have joined them.
"It's great to be alive, it's history right now," said protester Kenyata Taylor.
In Atlanta, protester Nate Saint carried a sign that encouraged people to vote. He attributed the reduction in violence in part to police.
"Cops are recognizing that the more passive they become, the more receptive, the more they listen, the less the protesters are going to react," he said.
A group of protesters stood near a line of police and National Guard troops. Some cursed officers. Others were seen talking to the officers. It was a different scene from last Friday, when the city experienced widespread vandalism and looting following a peaceful demonstration.
Protester Hilliard Jones sat on a barricade in downtown Atlanta near police. He's been attending the protests for nearly a week. The violence early on reflected centuries of injustice against blacks, he said.
"If you've been oppressed like we have for so long, eventually it's going to explode," Mr. Jones said.
There were still skirmishes in the Bronx and elsewhere. In Buffalo, a police commissioner suspended two officers after video from WBFO showed a man being shoved after walking up to police as they were enforcing a curfew Thursday night. The man appeared to hit his head on the pavement and blood leaked out as officers walk past. The man was hospitalized.
But in Texas, protesters cheered as Fort Worth officers joined the front of a march. Police in Austin also walked with dozens of members of the University of Texas football team as they made their way from campus to the state Capitol to honor Mr. Floyd's memory. Once there, the group and police officers took a knee for 9 minutes.
"This protest won't just stop here," junior Caden Sterns said. "To the white community ... if you want change like you say you do, you must change. What I mean is, you must realize, and the oppressor must realize, you are oppressing."
Wednesday marked the first peaceful night of protests in Seattle since demonstrations began there last week. The mayor and police chief there were hoping for more peace after meeting with community members. They promised Thursday that officers would display their badge numbers, following complaints by protesters about the black bands police had placed on their badges to honor colleagues killed while on duty.
"For those peacefully demonstrating tonight, please know you can continue to demonstrate. We want you to continue making your voice heard," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter.
The calm in Seattle followed a weekend of chaos that saw police vehicles burned and stores looted, and officers on Monday and Tuesday nights used pepper spray, tear gas, flash bangs, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
Protesters in some cities feel support from both police and white people is growing. There have been instances of police kneeling and earlier this week in New York City, the crowd chanted for the officers who were standing in the distance to join them. One eventually did and told them they have support if they remain peaceful.
In Atlanta on Thursday, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms walked with protesters downtown and told the crowd through a megaphone that "there is something better on the other side of this."
"We are in the midst of a movement in this country," she said. "But it's going to be incumbent upon all of us to be able to get together and articulate more than our anger. We got to be able to articulate what we want as our solutions."
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP journalists across the U.S. contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-24--A COVID-19 resurgence and the trust factor

In between , in countries such as the United States and Britain , where trust has declined , a big question is looming .
If the authorities feel the need to reimpose lockdowns , can they make them stick ?
At the other end , the Chinese government knows that it can enforce hermetic lockdowns on whole neighborhoods of the capital , now that the virus has sprung up again only days after Beijing was declared free of COVID .
On one end of the spectrum , New Zealand ’ s premier , Jacinda Ardern , won enough confidence from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to have suffered much from its reappearance after the country was declared virus-free .
The authorities are counting on one of two factors to keep the rise under control : trust or fear .
Some democracies , whose leaders have built up a cushion of public trust , can hope with some confidence that people will accept reimposed restrictions .
Authoritarian governments know citizens fear the consequences of disobedience .
What about democratic leaders who don ’ t enjoy much public trust ?
As governments worldwide open up their economies and loosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new COVID-19 cases is rising .
In countries worldwide that are reopening badly stricken economies , the number of COVID-19 cases has increased , making what some politicians have called a choice between “ lives and livelihoods.
” But how successfully – how safely – they ’ re able to deal with new surges is likely to hinge on two other factors : trust and fear .
Trust , meaning popular trust in government .
And fear ?
In authoritarian states , fear of the consequences of not doing what you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus itself .
Those countries relying on a strong bond of trust , or on pure fear of the authorities , appear best placed to implement the test tracking , physical distancing and mask-wearing , and new restrictions needed to forestall a new outbreak .
Two examples of very different nations that had declared themselves virus-free but where new cases have appeared : authoritarian China and the island democracy of New Zealand .
The picture is murkier for other countries , including a number hit hard by COVID-19 : Britain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
Even in countries that turned back or largely escaped a first COVID outbreak , the virus still poses a threat .
The head of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said last week that “ countries are understandably eager to open up .
...
But the virus is still spreading fast.
” Honesty is the best policy Aside from New Zealand and China , other countries that controlled earlier COVID outbreaks well and have been reopening – like South Korea , Israel , and Portugal – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in recent days .
Their governments ’ hope is that the danger can be contained through contact-tracing , testing , and a reemphasis on health precautions .
The stock of public trust they built up through their initial response might also stand them in good stead if a reimposition of wider restrictions proves necessary .
That certainly seems likely in New Zealand .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won international plaudits for her early , effective response to the pandemic .
She imposed a lockdown in March , when barely 200 cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time she declared the economy reopened this month , there had been only around 1,100 cases , and 22 lives lost .
But one aspect of the economic reopening was reopening New Zealand ’ s borders .
In recent days , due to lapses and loopholes in the system of quarantine , testing , and tracking , COVID cases reappeared .
Her response drew on the same strengths that earned her government-wide support in the shutdown .
She was clear and transparent , not just about what went wrong , but in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made sure precautions would be followed to the letter .
So far , there ’ s been no sign of significant popular impatience over the lapses , almost certainly because Ms. Ardern could rely on the trust amassed since the initial outbreak .
In China , where the COVID response has relied on the tools of authoritarian control , a new outbreak has hit the capital , Beijing , days after the city was declared virus-free .
Individual apartment blocks and whole neighborhoods have been placed under varying degrees of lockdown .
Thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed to testing sites .
While the authorities are hoping these measures prevent any wider spread , there is little doubt they will – and can – move to wider lockdowns if necessary .
Will people do what they are told ?
For a number of other countries with high numbers of COVID cases , however – democracies that lack both China ’ s tools for social control and a New Zealand-like “ trust cushion ” – the next few months could be challenging .
In the United States , the picture is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the federal government ’ s response to the pandemic .
President Donald Trump has played down its significance , even as infection rates in a number of states keep rising .
But he has left the main response to state and local governments .
Popular support for them varies .
It ’ s a commodity that , like much else in the U.S. , has been overshadowed by partisan divisions and the approach of elections in November .
This could give greater weight to the other factor : individuals ’ fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in countries where the main responsibility lies with national government , the picture is clearer , and potentially worrying .
Britain is a prime example .
The initial government response was halting and unevenly effective .
Though case numbers have now been coming down , there have been more than 300,000 confirmed .
More than 40,000 people have died – about twice as many as would have died if the government had locked down the country just a week earlier , according to one British health expert earlier this month .
The overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust in Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s government .
Now , new public-health guidelines have been announced with the aim of preventing any large-scale COVID surge as the economy reopens in the coming days , and there must be some question whether they ’ ll be fully followed .
Yet the real question will be what happens if governments feel the need to reimpose a full-scale lockdown .
In democracies at least , could that be done – could it work – without a bedrock of popular trust ?

In between, in countries such as the United States and Britain, where trust has declined, a big question is looming. If the authorities feel the need to reimpose lockdowns, can they make them stick?
At the other end, the Chinese government knows that it can enforce hermetic lockdowns on whole neighborhoods of the capital, now that the virus has sprung up again only days after Beijing was declared free of COVID.
On one end of the spectrum, New Zealand’s premier, Jacinda Ardern, won enough confidence from her handling of the first COVID wave not to have suffered much from its reappearance after the country was declared virus-free.
COVID-19 is on the rise in countries that have reopened their economies – even where the virus had been eliminated. For democratic governments, trust could play a central role in making any reimposed restrictions stick.
The authorities are counting on one of two factors to keep the rise under control: trust or fear. Some democracies, whose leaders have built up a cushion of public trust, can hope with some confidence that people will accept reimposed restrictions. Authoritarian governments know citizens fear the consequences of disobedience. What about democratic leaders who don’t enjoy much public trust?
As governments worldwide open up their economies and loosen restrictions on daily life, the number of new COVID-19 cases is rising.
In countries worldwide that are reopening badly stricken economies, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased, making what some politicians have called a choice between “lives and livelihoods.”
But how successfully – how safely – they’re able to deal with new surges is likely to hinge on two other factors: trust and fear. Trust, meaning popular trust in government. And fear? In authoritarian states, fear of the consequences of not doing what you’re told; in democracies, fear of the virus itself.
Those countries relying on a strong bond of trust, or on pure fear of the authorities, appear best placed to implement the test tracking, physical distancing and mask-wearing, and new restrictions needed to forestall a new outbreak. Two examples of very different nations that had declared themselves virus-free but where new cases have appeared: authoritarian China and the island democracy of New Zealand.
Why We Wrote This COVID-19 is on the rise in countries that have reopened their economies – even where the virus had been eliminated. For democratic governments, trust could play a central role in making any reimposed restrictions stick.
The picture is murkier for other countries, including a number hit hard by COVID-19: Britain, for instance, or some areas of the United States.
Even in countries that turned back or largely escaped a first COVID outbreak, the virus still poses a threat. The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said last week that “countries are understandably eager to open up. ... But the virus is still spreading fast.”
Honesty is the best policy
Aside from New Zealand and China, other countries that controlled earlier COVID outbreaks well and have been reopening – like South Korea, Israel, and Portugal – have seen an uptick in new COVID cases in recent days.
Their governments’ hope is that the danger can be contained through contact-tracing, testing, and a reemphasis on health precautions. The stock of public trust they built up through their initial response might also stand them in good stead if a reimposition of wider restrictions proves necessary.
That certainly seems likely in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won international plaudits for her early, effective response to the pandemic. She imposed a lockdown in March, when barely 200 cases of COVID-19 had been detected. By the time she declared the economy reopened this month, there had been only around 1,100 cases, and 22 lives lost.
But one aspect of the economic reopening was reopening New Zealand’s borders. In recent days, due to lapses and loopholes in the system of quarantine, testing, and tracking, COVID cases reappeared. Her response drew on the same strengths that earned her government-wide support in the shutdown. She was clear and transparent, not just about what went wrong, but in her frustration. She closed the loopholes and made sure precautions would be followed to the letter. So far, there’s been no sign of significant popular impatience over the lapses, almost certainly because Ms. Ardern could rely on the trust amassed since the initial outbreak.
In China, where the COVID response has relied on the tools of authoritarian control, a new outbreak has hit the capital, Beijing, days after the city was declared virus-free. Individual apartment blocks and whole neighborhoods have been placed under varying degrees of lockdown. Thousands of people in affected areas have been directed to testing sites. While the authorities are hoping these measures prevent any wider spread, there is little doubt they will – and can – move to wider lockdowns if necessary.
Will people do what they are told?
For a number of other countries with high numbers of COVID cases, however – democracies that lack both China’s tools for social control and a New Zealand-like “trust cushion” – the next few months could be challenging.
In the United States, the picture is complex. There’s little trust in the federal government’s response to the pandemic. President Donald Trump has played down its significance, even as infection rates in a number of states keep rising. But he has left the main response to state and local governments. Popular support for them varies. It’s a commodity that, like much else in the U.S., has been overshadowed by partisan divisions and the approach of elections in November. This could give greater weight to the other factor: individuals’ fear of the effects of the virus.
Yet in countries where the main responsibility lies with national government, the picture is clearer, and potentially worrying.
Britain is a prime example. The initial government response was halting and unevenly effective. Though case numbers have now been coming down, there have been more than 300,000 confirmed. More than 40,000 people have died – about twice as many as would have died if the government had locked down the country just a week earlier, according to one British health expert earlier this month.
The overall response has dealt a serious knock to trust in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Now, new public-health guidelines have been announced with the aim of preventing any large-scale COVID surge as the economy reopens in the coming days, and there must be some question whether they’ll be fully followed.
Yet the real question will be what happens if governments feel the need to reimpose a full-scale lockdown. In democracies at least, could that be done – could it work – without a bedrock of popular trust?


csmonitor--2020-05-04--Daily for May 4, 2020

Daily for May 4, 2020

The Commerce Department announces tighter standards for the export of some sensitive technology to China .
Members of Congress send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraging him to investigate the role of the Chinese Communist Party in what they say was a cover-up of the coronavirus ’ origins and a disinformation campaign about the outbreak .
And President Donald Trump declares at a press conference that the United States will seek to require China to “ pay big ” for a pandemic that originated in China but spread globally to sicken millions , kill hundreds of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s just part of the evidence that the already testy relations between the world ’ s two superpowers have taken a sharp turn for the worse as a result of the outbreak .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
That shift appears to be taking hold not only in Washington but in the American heartland – the state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly negative view of China .
With six months to go until the U.S. presidential election , could a rising tide of anti-China public sentiment become a factor ?
For many experts in U.S.-China relations , the bilateral tensions spawned by the pandemic have so far been limited to tougher and certainly more public versions of positions that were already percolating .
Congress already had its China bashers ; the Trump administration was already debating a tougher stance versus deeper cooperation with China – especially on trade .
But some longtime advocates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic offers the best opportunity since the 1970s for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation .
Such a debate would span issues from technology transfer and U.S. economic sectors ’ dependence on China trade to sharpening criticism of China ’ s violations of human rights .
“ Three months ago I would have said there was no chance of a serious decoupling from China , but the political environment has changed , ” says Derek Scissors , an expert in U.S.-China economic relations at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [ from them ] and reduce our participation in the success of China ’ s economic model , ” he adds .
“ But all the outrage over the tremendous suffering and economic impact of [ the pandemic ] has opened a door to a reassessment of our relationship.
” More likely than a new China strategy that sets out to reduce ties , say others , is an acceleration and intensification of actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some in Congress and some China analysts .
“ What this [ rise in tensions ] is really doing is exacerbating the geopolitical trends we ’ ve already been seeing in recent years , ” says Michael Auslin , a distinguished research fellow in contemporary Asia at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution in Stanford , California .
“ The tensions were already growing.
” Thus there is likely to be rising pressure for action on topics that have raged for years , from stemming the theft of intellectual property and repatriating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to confronting China ’ s expansionist activities in the South China Sea .
A change that the U.S. and other Western countries should capitalize on in the post-pandemic period , some experts say , is that China is now going to be marked by many countries as an untrustworthy partner .
That is not just because of how China handled the initial outbreak of the coronavirus , they say , but because its heavy-handed actions in its pandemic-related foreign assistance has left a bad taste from Europe to Africa .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , ” says Mr. Auslin , who notes for example that the White House now puts an asterisk next to coronavirus statistics out of China .
And the theme running through much of the European press last week , he says , was “ The Week China Lost Europe.
” Efforts to punish China that were building primarily among Republican senators have recently gained the avid interest of President Trump .
“ We are not happy with China , ” the president said last week , before separately leveling the accusation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory .
Most scientists and the U.S. intelligence community have concluded that , based on available information , the virus spread after a wild-animal-to-human transmission .
Mr. Trump and senior administration officials kept the anti-China fire roaring over the weekend , with the president promising a “ very strong report ” soon that would lay out China ’ s initial mishandling of the outbreak and then a cover-up .
Mr. Pompeo said on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” Sunday that the Chinese Communist Party had engaged in a “ classic communist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world didn ’ t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.
” In response , a party newspaper , The Global Times , said Mr. Trump was making accusations without presenting evidence , “ to fool the American public ” about his administration ’ s poor response to the pandemic .
White House officials confirm that Mr. Trump ’ s comments reflect his growing interest in finding ways to “ punish ” China over the pandemic .
That interest has focused on the idea of stripping China of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successfully sued for damages by states – such as Missouri – and individuals demonstrating losses from the epidemic .
Yet while demanding greater transparency may be the international community ’ s right , many experts say the chances of forcing China to pay for the pandemic are remote .
“ It is totally appropriate for the U.S. and other countries around the world … to be deeply upset and concerned about the initial development of the virus … and to demand greater information and changes in Chinese policies , ” says Scott Kennedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington .
On the other hand , the chances of successfully suing for reparations are extremely low , he adds .
“ In the case of the Missouri lawsuit , they will almost assuredly not be able to overcome issues of sovereign immunity.
” Mr. Scissors of AEI says that even if White House officials are discussing a range of options for punishing China , he assumes that what the president would settle on , if anything , would be a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably means tariffs ” when he talks about making China pay “ because he always means tariffs , it ’ s his go-to response , ” he says .
“ But tariffs are about getting the Chinese to buy more American products , ” he adds , “ and that ’ s definitely not decoupling.
” Mr. Trump acknowledged last week that a new round of tariffs he is considering might jeopardize his trade deal with China , but he said addressing the pandemic crisis is now more important .
Mr. Scissors says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in its relationship with China , which he sums up as “ weighing money earned by American technology companies against the harms of supporting the Chinese Communist Party.
” Any meaningful steps to disentangle the U.S. and China would be costly , he adds , and “ politicians don ’ t like costly.
” But he says he sees signs the American public could demand a different relationship with China – and says he would not rule out that demand becoming a key theme of the 2020 election .
A Pew Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the notion that the American public is souring on China .
The survey found that the percentage of Americans holding an unfavorable view of China rose to 66 % – up from 47 % last year and the highest negative opinion of China since Pew began asking the question 15 years ago .
“ This election will decide the course of U.S.-China relations , ” Mr. Scissors says , while acknowledging that , at this early point in the presidential race , there is little evidence of either major candidate making significant change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change “ is going to take either President Trump or Vice President Biden moving to action against China that neither of them has ever agreed to in the past , ” he says .
Nothing so far suggests either man would proceed to a sea change in U.S.-China relations , Mr. Scissors says , but he cautions that the last election came down to an underlying public sentiment that got short shrift in the campaign .
“ In 2016 it was unhappiness with globalization , and as part of that , unhappiness with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , ” he says .
“ In 2020 , it could be a deepening of that unhappiness with China , and a signal from the American people that they don ’ t want the relationship to continue as it has , that could lead to real change concerning China beginning in 2021.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

US-China: Are Americans ready for a (costly) breakup? Collapse
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/File View caption Hide caption President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G-20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019.
The Commerce Department announces tighter standards for the export of some sensitive technology to China.
Members of Congress send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraging him to investigate the role of the Chinese Communist Party in what they say was a cover-up of the coronavirus’ origins and a disinformation campaign about the outbreak.
And President Donald Trump declares at a press conference that the United States will seek to require China to “pay big” for a pandemic that originated in China but spread globally to sicken millions, kill hundreds of thousands, and plunge the world into recession.
That’s just part of the evidence that the already testy relations between the world’s two superpowers have taken a sharp turn for the worse as a result of the outbreak.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
That shift appears to be taking hold not only in Washington but in the American heartland – the state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the epidemic – and in a public with an increasingly negative view of China.
With six months to go until the U.S. presidential election, could a rising tide of anti-China public sentiment become a factor?
For many experts in U.S.-China relations, the bilateral tensions spawned by the pandemic have so far been limited to tougher and certainly more public versions of positions that were already percolating. Congress already had its China bashers; the Trump administration was already debating a tougher stance versus deeper cooperation with China – especially on trade.
But some longtime advocates of a “decoupling” from China say the pandemic offers the best opportunity since the 1970s for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation. Such a debate would span issues from technology transfer and U.S. economic sectors’ dependence on China trade to sharpening criticism of China’s violations of human rights.
“Three months ago I would have said there was no chance of a serious decoupling from China, but the political environment has changed,” says Derek Scissors, an expert in U.S.-China economic relations at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
“We’re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [from them] and reduce our participation in the success of China’s economic model,” he adds. “But all the outrage over the tremendous suffering and economic impact of [the pandemic] has opened a door to a reassessment of our relationship.”
More likely than a new China strategy that sets out to reduce ties, say others, is an acceleration and intensification of actions that were already being pursued or promoted by some in Congress and some China analysts.
“What this [rise in tensions] is really doing is exacerbating the geopolitical trends we’ve already been seeing in recent years,” says Michael Auslin, a distinguished research fellow in contemporary Asia at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in Stanford, California. “The tensions were already growing.”
Thus there is likely to be rising pressure for action on topics that have raged for years, from stemming the theft of intellectual property and repatriating supply chains critical to U.S. national security, to confronting China’s expansionist activities in the South China Sea.
“An asterisk next to China”
A change that the U.S. and other Western countries should capitalize on in the post-pandemic period, some experts say, is that China is now going to be marked by many countries as an untrustworthy partner. That is not just because of how China handled the initial outbreak of the coronavirus, they say, but because its heavy-handed actions in its pandemic-related foreign assistance has left a bad taste from Europe to Africa.
“The world has put an asterisk next to China,” says Mr. Auslin, who notes for example that the White House now puts an asterisk next to coronavirus statistics out of China. And the theme running through much of the European press last week, he says, was “The Week China Lost Europe.”
Efforts to punish China that were building primarily among Republican senators have recently gained the avid interest of President Trump.
Andrew Harnik/AP View caption Hide caption Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses reporters at the State Department in Washington, April 29, 2020. On Sunday he said China had engaged in a “classic communist disinformation effort” on the coronoavirus outbreak that made sure “the world didn’t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.”
“We are not happy with China,” the president said last week, before separately leveling the accusation that the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan virology laboratory. Most scientists and the U.S. intelligence community have concluded that, based on available information, the virus spread after a wild-animal-to-human transmission.
Mr. Trump and senior administration officials kept the anti-China fire roaring over the weekend, with the president promising a “very strong report” soon that would lay out China’s initial mishandling of the outbreak and then a cover-up.
Mr. Pompeo said on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday that the Chinese Communist Party had engaged in a “classic communist disinformation effort” that made sure “the world didn’t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.”
In response, a party newspaper, The Global Times, said Mr. Trump was making accusations without presenting evidence, “to fool the American public” about his administration’s poor response to the pandemic.
White House officials confirm that Mr. Trump’s comments reflect his growing interest in finding ways to “punish” China over the pandemic. That interest has focused on the idea of stripping China of its sovereign immunity so that it might be successfully sued for damages by states – such as Missouri – and individuals demonstrating losses from the epidemic.
Options for punishing China
Yet while demanding greater transparency may be the international community’s right, many experts say the chances of forcing China to pay for the pandemic are remote.
“It is totally appropriate for the U.S. and other countries around the world … to be deeply upset and concerned about the initial development of the virus … and to demand greater information and changes in Chinese policies,” says Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
On the other hand, the chances of successfully suing for reparations are extremely low, he adds. “In the case of the Missouri lawsuit, they will almost assuredly not be able to overcome issues of sovereign immunity.”
Mr. Scissors of AEI says that even if White House officials are discussing a range of options for punishing China, he assumes that what the president would settle on, if anything, would be a new round of tariffs.
“The president probably means tariffs” when he talks about making China pay “because he always means tariffs, it’s his go-to response,” he says. “But tariffs are about getting the Chinese to buy more American products,” he adds, “and that’s definitely not decoupling.”
Mr. Trump acknowledged last week that a new round of tariffs he is considering might jeopardize his trade deal with China, but he said addressing the pandemic crisis is now more important.
Mr. Scissors says the U.S. faces a “basic choice” in its relationship with China, which he sums up as “weighing money earned by American technology companies against the harms of supporting the Chinese Communist Party.” Any meaningful steps to disentangle the U.S. and China would be costly, he adds, and “politicians don’t like costly.”
A 2020 election issue?
But he says he sees signs the American public could demand a different relationship with China – and says he would not rule out that demand becoming a key theme of the 2020 election.
A Pew Research Center poll from last month backs up the notion that the American public is souring on China. The survey found that the percentage of Americans holding an unfavorable view of China rose to 66% – up from 47% last year and the highest negative opinion of China since Pew began asking the question 15 years ago.
“This election will decide the course of U.S.-China relations,” Mr. Scissors says, while acknowledging that, at this early point in the presidential race, there is little evidence of either major candidate making significant change a pillar of his campaign.
Real change “is going to take either President Trump or Vice President Biden moving to action against China that neither of them has ever agreed to in the past,” he says.
Nothing so far suggests either man would proceed to a sea change in U.S.-China relations, Mr. Scissors says, but he cautions that the last election came down to an underlying public sentiment that got short shrift in the campaign.
“In 2016 it was unhappiness with globalization, and as part of that, unhappiness with China. That was the story of the election,” he says. “In 2020, it could be a deepening of that unhappiness with China, and a signal from the American people that they don’t want the relationship to continue as it has, that could lead to real change concerning China beginning in 2021.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-05-04--President Trump insists US economy can reopen safely

Eager to spur an economic recovery without risking lives , President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted that “ you can satisfy both '' – see states gradually lift lockdowns while also protecting people from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 60,000 Americans .
The president , fielding questions from Americans in a virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial , acknowledged valid fears on both sides of the issue .
Some people are worried about getting sick ; others are reeling from lost jobs and livelihoods .
But while Mr. Trump increased his projection for the total U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by more than 20,000 fatalities from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago – he struck a note of urgency to restart the nation 's economy , declaring “ we have to reopen our country.
” “ We have to get it back open safely but as quickly as possible , ” Mr. Trump said .
Mr. Trump 's comments Sunday came on the heels of Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announcing Sunday that New York will join with states from Massachusetts to Delaware to create a regional supply chain for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies , and other equipment vital to fighting the disease .
The states are joining together after months of dealing separately with what Mr. Cuomo said was a “ totally inefficient and ineffective ” purchasing process that pitted all 50 states against each other , as well as the federal government , and other entities , driving up prices as supplies dried up .
New York buys about $ 2 billion worth of medical equipment supplies per year , Mr. Cuomo said .
The other states joining the consortium together spend about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ll have stronger purchasing power and improve their clout with global suppliers , Mr. Cuomo said .
Debate over social distancing measures continued this weekend amid the reopening of state economies that tanked after shopping malls , salons , and other nonessential businesses were ordered closed in an attempt to slow a virus that has killed more than 66,000 Americans , according to a tally of reported deaths by Johns Hopkins University .
A New York City police officer who was caught on video Saturday pointing a stun gun at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground over an alleged social distancing violation has been stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty pending an internal investigation .
Bystander video showed the plainclothes officer , who was not wearing a protective face mask , slapping 33-year-old Donni Wright in the face , punching him in the shoulder and dragging him to a sidewalk after leveling him in a crosswalk in Manhattan ’ s East Village .
“ There will unquestionably be a careful look at what happened there , ” Mayor Bill de Blasio said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frances O ’ Donnell said Mr. Wright “ took a fighting stance against the officer ” when he was ordered to disperse and was arrested on charges including assault on a police officer and resisting arrest .
Mr. Wright had not been arraigned as of Sunday afternoon , prosecutors said .
In Arizona , two sheriffs are refusing to enforce Gov .
Doug Ducey ’ s stay-at-home order as the state continues to deal with the coronavirus .
Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb both said they aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citations or arrest people who disobey the governor ’ s mandate that has been extended through May 15 .
Mohave County is in northwestern Arizona with Pinal County located south of Phoenix .
Of Arizona ’ s 15 counties , the state ’ s two most populous – Maricopa and Pima – have the most COVID-19 cases by far .
“ I ’ m not going to make criminals out of law-abiding citizens , ” Sheriff Schuster told Phoenix TV station KTVK .
“ As a sheriff , I can not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for not social distancing.
” “ It ’ s unfortunate that we ’ re here but I need to make a stand for the people and for freedom , ” Sheriff Lamb said .
“ I don ’ t want to cite , fine , or arrest fine people.
” Mr. Ducey already has laid out consequences for violating his stay-at-home order : a $ 2,500 fine and up to six months in jail .
In Ohio , an order for people to wear face coverings while in stores was reversed this past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine said Sunday .
He said on ABC 's “ This Week , ” the mandate was “ a bridge too far '' and added , “ People were not going to accept the government telling them what to do . ''
Similarly , in Stillwater , Oklahoma , the mayor quickly rescinded a face mask order Friday after verbal and physical threats of violence were reported against store and restaurant employees .
After more than a month of being cooped up at the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for the virtual town hall hosted by Fox News Channel .
The president said of his monumental backdrop : `` We never had a more beautiful set than this.
” As concerns mount about his reelection bid , Mr. Trump stuck to his relentlessly optimistic view of the nation 's ability to rebound soon .
“ It is all working out , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ It is horrible to go through , but it is working out.
” Many public health experts believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a vaccine is developed .
Mr. Trump declared Sunday that he believed one could be available by year ’ s end .
U.S. public health officials have said a vaccine is probably a year to 18 months away .
But Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading expert on infectious diseases and member of the White House coronavirus task force , said in late April that it is conceivable , if a vaccine is soon developed , that it could be in wide distribution as early as January .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly its ability to conduct widespread testing , has come under fierce scrutiny , the president tried to shift the blame to China and said the U.S. was ready to begin reopening .
“ I ’ ll tell you one thing .
We did the right thing and I really believe we saved a million and a half lives , ” the president said .
But he also broke with the assessment of his senior adviser and son-in-law , Jared Kushner , saying it was “ too soon to say '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story . ''
Mr. Trump 's impatience also flashed .
While noting that states would go at their own pace in returning to normal , with ones harder hit by the coronavirus going slower , he said that “ some states , frankly , I think aren ’ t going fast enough . ''
He singled out Virginia , which has a Democratic governor and legislature .
And he urged the nation 's schools and universities to return to classes this fall .
Federal guidelines that encouraged people to stay at home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. economy has suffered , shrinking at a 4.8 % annual rate from January through March , the government estimated last week .
And roughly 30.3 million people have filed for unemployment aid in the six weeks since the outbreak forced employers to shut down and slash their workforces .
The president 's advisers have nervously watched Mr. Trump 's support slip in a number of battleground states and he was told last month that if the election were held that day , he would lose to Democrat Joe Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , even with its health risks , is essential to a victory in November and are pushing for him to pivot away from discussions about the pandemic and onto an American comeback story .
To that end , Mr. Trump will begin traveling again , with a trip to a mask factory in Arizona planned for Tuesday .
The president also is set to speak in June at commencement for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point .
Returning to campus for commencement will require graduates to self-isolate for 14 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no risk to the cadets .
The town hall , which included an appearance by Vice President Mike Pence , included a rare mea culpa : The vice president said he should have worn a facemask during a visit last week to Minnesota 's Mayo Clinic .
Mr. Pence 's failure to wear a mask violated the clinic 's guidelines and drew significant criticism .
Elsewhere in Washington , the Senate planned to reopen Monday , despite the area 's continued status as a virus hot spot and with the region still under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as debate continues on what the next stage of the economic recovery may look like .
State and local governments are seeking up to $ 1 trillion in coronavirus costs , but have been met with some objections by congressional Republicans .
Mr. Trump said that while he thought common ground could be found with Democrats over an infrastructure package , “ we ’ re not doing anything unless we get a payroll tax cut .
That is so important to the success of our country.
” That proposal has been met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of California and Michigan are among governors under public pressure over lockdowns still in effect while states such as Florida , Georgia , and Ohio are reopening .
White House coronavirus coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx is calling it “ devastatingly worrisome ” to see protesters in Michigan and elsewhere not wear masks or practice social distancing as they demonstrate against stay-at-home orders .
“ So we need to protect each other at the same time we ’ re voicing our discontent , ” she said .
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters who demonstrated inside her state 's Capitol “ depicted some of the worst racism ” and “ awful parts ” of U.S. history by showing up with Confederate flags , nooses , and swastikas .
Mr. Trump on Sunday night singled out Ms. Whitmer and Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , also a Democrat , for criticism even as he praised the federal coordination with most governors .
He also complained that some Democrats would rather “ people get sick ” than given him any credit for pushing the use of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has not been proven to be safe and effective for that use .
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a statement of interest siding with a Virginia church suing the state ’ s governor over restrictions because of the coronavirus .
The filing was made Sunday in support of the Lighthouse Fellowship Church .
The lawsuit alleges the church ’ s pastor , Kevin Wilson , was issued a criminal citation because he held a service with 16 people on April 5 .
Authorities allege the church violated the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
The Justice Department ’ s filing , citing the lawsuit , says the church had maintained social distancing and had extensive sanitizing of common surfaces .
The church said attendees had to stay 6 feet apart and use hand sanitizer before entering the building .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Eager to spur an economic recovery without risking lives, President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted that “you can satisfy both" – see states gradually lift lockdowns while also protecting people from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 60,000 Americans.
The president, fielding questions from Americans in a virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial, acknowledged valid fears on both sides of the issue. Some people are worried about getting sick; others are reeling from lost jobs and livelihoods.
But while Mr. Trump increased his projection for the total U.S. death total to 80,000 or 90,000 – up by more than 20,000 fatalities from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago – he struck a note of urgency to restart the nation's economy, declaring “we have to reopen our country.”
“We have to get it back open safely but as quickly as possible,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump's comments Sunday came on the heels of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announcing Sunday that New York will join with states from Massachusetts to Delaware to create a regional supply chain for masks, gowns, ventilators, testing supplies, and other equipment vital to fighting the disease.
The states are joining together after months of dealing separately with what Mr. Cuomo said was a “totally inefficient and ineffective” purchasing process that pitted all 50 states against each other, as well as the federal government, and other entities, driving up prices as supplies dried up.
New York buys about $2 billion worth of medical equipment supplies per year, Mr. Cuomo said. The other states joining the consortium together spend about $5 billion per year. Working together, they’ll have stronger purchasing power and improve their clout with global suppliers, Mr. Cuomo said.
Debate over social distancing measures continued this weekend amid the reopening of state economies that tanked after shopping malls, salons, and other nonessential businesses were ordered closed in an attempt to slow a virus that has killed more than 66,000 Americans, according to a tally of reported deaths by Johns Hopkins University.
A New York City police officer who was caught on video Saturday pointing a stun gun at a man and violently taking him to the ground over an alleged social distancing violation has been stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty pending an internal investigation.
Bystander video showed the plainclothes officer, who was not wearing a protective face mask, slapping 33-year-old Donni Wright in the face, punching him in the shoulder and dragging him to a sidewalk after leveling him in a crosswalk in Manhattan’s East Village.
“There will unquestionably be a careful look at what happened there,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday.
Police spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Frances O’Donnell said Mr. Wright “took a fighting stance against the officer” when he was ordered to disperse and was arrested on charges including assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Mr. Wright had not been arraigned as of Sunday afternoon, prosecutors said.
In Arizona, two sheriffs are refusing to enforce Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order as the state continues to deal with the coronavirus. Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb both said they aren’t going to hand out fines, citations or arrest people who disobey the governor’s mandate that has been extended through May 15.
Mohave County is in northwestern Arizona with Pinal County located south of Phoenix. Of Arizona’s 15 counties, the state’s two most populous – Maricopa and Pima – have the most COVID-19 cases by far.
“I’m not going to make criminals out of law-abiding citizens,” Sheriff Schuster told Phoenix TV station KTVK. “As a sheriff, I cannot in good conscience issue citations or arrest people for not social distancing.”
“It’s unfortunate that we’re here but I need to make a stand for the people and for freedom,” Sheriff Lamb said. “I don’t want to cite, fine, or arrest fine people.”
Mr. Ducey already has laid out consequences for violating his stay-at-home order: a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail.
In Ohio, an order for people to wear face coverings while in stores was reversed this past week because it “went too far," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday. He said on ABC's “This Week,” the mandate was “a bridge too far" and added, “People were not going to accept the government telling them what to do." Similarly, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the mayor quickly rescinded a face mask order Friday after verbal and physical threats of violence were reported against store and restaurant employees.
After more than a month of being cooped up at the White House, Mr. Trump returned from a weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for the virtual town hall hosted by Fox News Channel.
The president said of his monumental backdrop: "We never had a more beautiful set than this.”
As concerns mount about his reelection bid, Mr. Trump stuck to his relentlessly optimistic view of the nation's ability to rebound soon.
“It is all working out,” Mr. Trump said. “It is horrible to go through, but it is working out.”
Many public health experts believe the nation cannot safely reopen fully until a vaccine is developed. Mr. Trump declared Sunday that he believed one could be available by year’s end.
U.S. public health officials have said a vaccine is probably a year to 18 months away. But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases and member of the White House coronavirus task force, said in late April that it is conceivable, if a vaccine is soon developed, that it could be in wide distribution as early as January.
Though the administration's handling of the pandemic, particularly its ability to conduct widespread testing, has come under fierce scrutiny, the president tried to shift the blame to China and said the U.S. was ready to begin reopening.
“I’ll tell you one thing. We did the right thing and I really believe we saved a million and a half lives,” the president said. But he also broke with the assessment of his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying it was “too soon to say" the federal government had overseen a “success story."
Mr. Trump's impatience also flashed. While noting that states would go at their own pace in returning to normal, with ones harder hit by the coronavirus going slower, he said that “some states, frankly, I think aren’t going fast enough." He singled out Virginia, which has a Democratic governor and legislature. And he urged the nation's schools and universities to return to classes this fall.
Federal guidelines that encouraged people to stay at home and practice social distancing expired late last week.
The U.S. economy has suffered, shrinking at a 4.8% annual rate from January through March, the government estimated last week. And roughly 30.3 million people have filed for unemployment aid in the six weeks since the outbreak forced employers to shut down and slash their workforces.
The president's advisers have nervously watched Mr. Trump's support slip in a number of battleground states and he was told last month that if the election were held that day, he would lose to Democrat Joe Biden. The president's aides believe restarting the economy, even with its health risks, is essential to a victory in November and are pushing for him to pivot away from discussions about the pandemic and onto an American comeback story.
To that end, Mr. Trump will begin traveling again, with a trip to a mask factory in Arizona planned for Tuesday. The president also is set to speak in June at commencement for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Returning to campus for commencement will require graduates to self-isolate for 14 days, but Mr. Trump insisted the event poses no risk to the cadets.
The town hall, which included an appearance by Vice President Mike Pence, included a rare mea culpa: The vice president said he should have worn a facemask during a visit last week to Minnesota's Mayo Clinic. Mr. Pence's failure to wear a mask violated the clinic's guidelines and drew significant criticism.
Elsewhere in Washington, the Senate planned to reopen Monday, despite the area's continued status as a virus hot spot and with the region still under stay-at-home orders. The House remains shuttered as debate continues on what the next stage of the economic recovery may look like.
State and local governments are seeking up to $1 trillion in coronavirus costs, but have been met with some objections by congressional Republicans.
Mr. Trump said that while he thought common ground could be found with Democrats over an infrastructure package, “we’re not doing anything unless we get a payroll tax cut. That is so important to the success of our country.”
That proposal has been met with objections from both parties.
The leaders of California and Michigan are among governors under public pressure over lockdowns still in effect while states such as Florida, Georgia, and Ohio are reopening.
White House coronavirus coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx is calling it “devastatingly worrisome” to see protesters in Michigan and elsewhere not wear masks or practice social distancing as they demonstrate against stay-at-home orders. “So we need to protect each other at the same time we’re voicing our discontent,” she said.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said Sunday that the armed protesters who demonstrated inside her state's Capitol “depicted some of the worst racism” and “awful parts” of U.S. history by showing up with Confederate flags, nooses, and swastikas.
Mr. Trump on Sunday night singled out Ms. Whitmer and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, also a Democrat, for criticism even as he praised the federal coordination with most governors. He also complained that some Democrats would rather “people get sick” than given him any credit for pushing the use of a malaria drug for treating COVID-19, though it has not been proven to be safe and effective for that use.
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a statement of interest siding with a Virginia church suing the state’s governor over restrictions because of the coronavirus. The filing was made Sunday in support of the Lighthouse Fellowship Church.
The lawsuit alleges the church’s pastor, Kevin Wilson, was issued a criminal citation because he held a service with 16 people on April 5. Authorities allege the church violated the state’s ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.
The Justice Department’s filing, citing the lawsuit, says the church had maintained social distancing and had extensive sanitizing of common surfaces. The church said attendees had to stay 6 feet apart and use hand sanitizer before entering the building.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-04--US-China: Are Americans ready for a (costly) breakup?

“ We ’ re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [ from them ] and reduce our participation in the success of China ’ s economic model , ” he adds .
“ But all the outrage ... has opened a door to a reassessment of our relationship.
” But longtime advocates of a decoupling from China say the pandemic offers the chance for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation .
“ Three months ago I would have said there was no chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the political environment has changed , ” says Derek Scissors at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington .
The tensions have been visible mostly in tougher expressions of positions that were already percolating .
Congress already had its China bashers .
The Trump administration was already debating a tougher stance – especially on trade .
Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the coronavirus pandemic .
As a result of the outbreak , the already testy relations between the United States and China have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A sharply more negative view of China has taken hold not only in Washington but among the American public .
The Commerce Department announces tighter standards for the export of some sensitive technology to China .
Members of Congress send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraging him to investigate the role of the Chinese Communist Party in what they say was a cover-up of the coronavirus ’ origins and a disinformation campaign about the outbreak .
And President Donald Trump declares at a press conference that the United States will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big ” for a pandemic that originated in China but spread globally to sicken millions , kill hundreds of thousands , and plunge the world into recession .
That ’ s just part of the evidence that the already testy relations between the world ’ s two superpowers have taken a sharp turn for the worse as a result of the outbreak .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
That shift appears to be taking hold not only in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the epidemic – and in a public with an increasingly negative view of China .
With six months to go until the U.S. presidential election , could a rising tide of anti-China public sentiment become a factor ?
For many experts in U.S.-China relations , the bilateral tensions spawned by the pandemic have so far been limited to tougher and certainly more public versions of positions that were already percolating .
Congress already had its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already debating a tougher stance versus deeper cooperation with China – especially on trade .
But some longtime advocates of a “ decoupling ” from China say the pandemic offers the best opportunity since the 1970s for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation .
Such a debate would span issues from technology transfer and U.S. economic sectors ’ dependence on China trade to sharpening criticism of China ’ s violations of human rights .
“ Three months ago I would have said there was no chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the political environment has changed , ” says Derek Scissors , an expert in U.S.-China economic relations at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington .
“ We ’ re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [ from them ] and reduce our participation in the success of China ’ s economic model , ” he adds .
“ But all the outrage over the tremendous suffering and economic impact of [ the pandemic ] has opened a door to a reassessment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new China strategy that sets out to reduce ties , say others , is an acceleration and intensification of actions that were already being pursued or promoted by some in Congress and some China analysts .
“ What this [ rise in tensions ] is really doing is exacerbating the geopolitical trends we ’ ve already been seeing in recent years , ” says Michael Auslin , a distinguished research fellow in contemporary Asia at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution in Stanford , California .
“ The tensions were already growing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure for action on topics that have raged for years , from stemming the theft of intellectual property and repatriating supply chains critical to U.S. national security , to confronting China ’ s expansionist activities in the South China Sea .
A change that the U.S. and other Western countries should capitalize on in the post-pandemic period , some experts say , is that China is now going to be marked by many countries as an untrustworthy partner .
That is not just because of how China handled the initial outbreak of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its heavy-handed actions in its pandemic-related foreign assistance has left a bad taste from Europe to Africa .
“ The world has put an asterisk next to China , ” says Mr. Auslin , who notes for example that the White House now puts an asterisk next to coronavirus statistics out of China .
And the theme running through much of the European press last week , he says , was “ The Week China Lost Europe.
” Efforts to punish China that were building primarily among Republican senators have recently gained the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are not happy with China , ” the president said last week , before separately leveling the accusation that the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan virology laboratory .
Most scientists and the U.S. intelligence community have concluded that , based on available information , the virus spread after a wild-animal-to-human transmission .
Mr. Trump and senior administration officials kept the anti-China fire roaring over the weekend , with the president promising a “ very strong report ” soon that would lay out China ’ s initial mishandling of the outbreak and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC ’ s “ This Week ” Sunday that the Chinese Communist Party had engaged in a “ classic communist disinformation effort ” that made sure “ the world didn ’ t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.
” In response , a party newspaper , The Global Times , said Mr. Trump was making accusations without presenting evidence , “ to fool the American public ” about his administration ’ s poor response to the pandemic .
White House officials confirm that Mr. Trump ’ s comments reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ punish ” China over the pandemic .
That interest has focused on the idea of stripping China of its sovereign immunity so that it might be successfully sued for damages by states – such as Missouri – and individuals demonstrating losses from the epidemic .
Yet while demanding greater transparency may be the international community ’ s right , many experts say the chances of forcing China to pay for the pandemic are remote .
“ It is totally appropriate for the U.S. and other countries around the world … to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development of the virus … and to demand greater information and changes in Chinese policies , ” says Scott Kennedy , a senior adviser in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington .
On the other hand , the chances of successfully suing for reparations are extremely low , he adds .
“ In the case of the Missouri lawsuit , they will almost assuredly not be able to overcome issues of sovereign immunity.
” Mr. Scissors of AEI says that even if White House officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punishing China , he assumes that what the president would settle on , if anything , would be a new round of tariffs .
“ The president probably means tariffs ” when he talks about making China pay “ because he always means tariffs , it ’ s his go-to response , ” he says .
“ But tariffs are about getting the Chinese to buy more American products , ” he adds , “ and that ’ s definitely not decoupling.
” Mr. Trump acknowledged last week that a new round of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade deal with China , but he said addressing the pandemic crisis is now more important .
Mr. Scissors says the U.S. faces a “ basic choice ” in its relationship with China , which he sums up as “ weighing money earned by American technology companies against the harms of supporting the Chinese Communist Party.
” Any meaningful steps to disentangle the U.S. and China would be costly , he adds , and “ politicians don ’ t like costly.
” But he says he sees signs the American public could demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says he would not rule out that demand becoming a key theme of the 2020 election .
A Pew Research Center poll from last month backs up the notion that the American public is souring on China .
The survey found that the percentage of Americans holding an unfavorable view of China rose to 66 % – up from 47 % last year and the highest negative opinion of China since Pew began asking the question 15 years ago .
“ This election will decide the course of U.S.-China relations , ” Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this early point in the presidential race , there is little evidence of either major candidate making significant change a pillar of his campaign .
Real change “ is going to take either President Trump or Vice President Biden moving to action against China that neither of them has ever agreed to in the past , ” he says .
Nothing so far suggests either man would proceed to a sea change in U.S.-China relations , Mr. Scissors says , but he cautions that the last election came down to an underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign .
“ In 2016 it was unhappiness with globalization , and as part of that , unhappiness with China .
That was the story of the election , ” he says .
“ In 2020 , it could be a deepening of that unhappiness with China , and a signal from the American people that they don ’ t want the relationship to continue as it has , that could lead to real change concerning China beginning in 2021.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall .

“We’re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [from them] and reduce our participation in the success of China’s economic model,” he adds. “But all the outrage ... has opened a door to a reassessment of our relationship.”
But longtime advocates of a decoupling from China say the pandemic offers the chance for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation. “Three months ago I would have said there was no chance of a serious decoupling from China, but the political environment has changed,” says Derek Scissors at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
“Trusted partner” is a coveted reputation. And for Americans, China has been both a rival and an important partner in prosperity. Could its handling of the coronavirus pandemic put that in jeopardy?
The tensions have been visible mostly in tougher expressions of positions that were already percolating. Congress already had its China bashers. The Trump administration was already debating a tougher stance – especially on trade.
Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of the outbreak, the already testy relations between the United States and China have taken a turn for the worse. A sharply more negative view of China has taken hold not only in Washington but among the American public.
The Commerce Department announces tighter standards for the export of some sensitive technology to China.
Members of Congress send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraging him to investigate the role of the Chinese Communist Party in what they say was a cover-up of the coronavirus’ origins and a disinformation campaign about the outbreak.
And President Donald Trump declares at a press conference that the United States will seek to require China to “pay big” for a pandemic that originated in China but spread globally to sicken millions, kill hundreds of thousands, and plunge the world into recession.
Why We Wrote This “Trusted partner” is a coveted reputation. And for Americans, China has been both a rival and an important partner in prosperity. Could its handling of the coronavirus pandemic put that in jeopardy?
That’s just part of the evidence that the already testy relations between the world’s two superpowers have taken a sharp turn for the worse as a result of the outbreak.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
That shift appears to be taking hold not only in Washington but in the American heartland – the state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Beijing seeking reparations for the heavy costs of addressing the epidemic – and in a public with an increasingly negative view of China.
With six months to go until the U.S. presidential election, could a rising tide of anti-China public sentiment become a factor?
For many experts in U.S.-China relations, the bilateral tensions spawned by the pandemic have so far been limited to tougher and certainly more public versions of positions that were already percolating. Congress already had its China bashers; the Trump administration was already debating a tougher stance versus deeper cooperation with China – especially on trade.
But some longtime advocates of a “decoupling” from China say the pandemic offers the best opportunity since the 1970s for a robust national debate on the merits of a significant and policy-driven separation. Such a debate would span issues from technology transfer and U.S. economic sectors’ dependence on China trade to sharpening criticism of China’s violations of human rights.
“Three months ago I would have said there was no chance of a serious decoupling from China, but the political environment has changed,” says Derek Scissors, an expert in U.S.-China economic relations at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
“We’re still not near the serious – and what would be costly – steps necessary to separate [from them] and reduce our participation in the success of China’s economic model,” he adds. “But all the outrage over the tremendous suffering and economic impact of [the pandemic] has opened a door to a reassessment of our relationship.”
More likely than a new China strategy that sets out to reduce ties, say others, is an acceleration and intensification of actions that were already being pursued or promoted by some in Congress and some China analysts.
“What this [rise in tensions] is really doing is exacerbating the geopolitical trends we’ve already been seeing in recent years,” says Michael Auslin, a distinguished research fellow in contemporary Asia at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in Stanford, California. “The tensions were already growing.”
Thus there is likely to be rising pressure for action on topics that have raged for years, from stemming the theft of intellectual property and repatriating supply chains critical to U.S. national security, to confronting China’s expansionist activities in the South China Sea.
“An asterisk next to China”
A change that the U.S. and other Western countries should capitalize on in the post-pandemic period, some experts say, is that China is now going to be marked by many countries as an untrustworthy partner. That is not just because of how China handled the initial outbreak of the coronavirus, they say, but because its heavy-handed actions in its pandemic-related foreign assistance has left a bad taste from Europe to Africa.
“The world has put an asterisk next to China,” says Mr. Auslin, who notes for example that the White House now puts an asterisk next to coronavirus statistics out of China. And the theme running through much of the European press last week, he says, was “The Week China Lost Europe.”
Efforts to punish China that were building primarily among Republican senators have recently gained the avid interest of President Trump.
Andrew Harnik/AP View caption Hide caption Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses reporters at the State Department in Washington, April 29, 2020. On Sunday he said China had engaged in a “classic communist disinformation effort” on the coronoavirus outbreak that made sure “the world didn’t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.”
“We are not happy with China,” the president said last week, before separately leveling the accusation that the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan virology laboratory. Most scientists and the U.S. intelligence community have concluded that, based on available information, the virus spread after a wild-animal-to-human transmission.
Mr. Trump and senior administration officials kept the anti-China fire roaring over the weekend, with the president promising a “very strong report” soon that would lay out China’s initial mishandling of the outbreak and then a cover-up.
Mr. Pompeo said on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday that the Chinese Communist Party had engaged in a “classic communist disinformation effort” that made sure “the world didn’t learn in a timely fashion about what was taking place.”
In response, a party newspaper, The Global Times, said Mr. Trump was making accusations without presenting evidence, “to fool the American public” about his administration’s poor response to the pandemic.
White House officials confirm that Mr. Trump’s comments reflect his growing interest in finding ways to “punish” China over the pandemic. That interest has focused on the idea of stripping China of its sovereign immunity so that it might be successfully sued for damages by states – such as Missouri – and individuals demonstrating losses from the epidemic.
Options for punishing China
Yet while demanding greater transparency may be the international community’s right, many experts say the chances of forcing China to pay for the pandemic are remote.
“It is totally appropriate for the U.S. and other countries around the world … to be deeply upset and concerned about the initial development of the virus … and to demand greater information and changes in Chinese policies,” says Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
On the other hand, the chances of successfully suing for reparations are extremely low, he adds. “In the case of the Missouri lawsuit, they will almost assuredly not be able to overcome issues of sovereign immunity.”
Mr. Scissors of AEI says that even if White House officials are discussing a range of options for punishing China, he assumes that what the president would settle on, if anything, would be a new round of tariffs.
“The president probably means tariffs” when he talks about making China pay “because he always means tariffs, it’s his go-to response,” he says. “But tariffs are about getting the Chinese to buy more American products,” he adds, “and that’s definitely not decoupling.”
Mr. Trump acknowledged last week that a new round of tariffs he is considering might jeopardize his trade deal with China, but he said addressing the pandemic crisis is now more important.
Mr. Scissors says the U.S. faces a “basic choice” in its relationship with China, which he sums up as “weighing money earned by American technology companies against the harms of supporting the Chinese Communist Party.” Any meaningful steps to disentangle the U.S. and China would be costly, he adds, and “politicians don’t like costly.”
A 2020 election issue?
But he says he sees signs the American public could demand a different relationship with China – and says he would not rule out that demand becoming a key theme of the 2020 election.
A Pew Research Center poll from last month backs up the notion that the American public is souring on China. The survey found that the percentage of Americans holding an unfavorable view of China rose to 66% – up from 47% last year and the highest negative opinion of China since Pew began asking the question 15 years ago.
“This election will decide the course of U.S.-China relations,” Mr. Scissors says, while acknowledging that, at this early point in the presidential race, there is little evidence of either major candidate making significant change a pillar of his campaign.
Real change “is going to take either President Trump or Vice President Biden moving to action against China that neither of them has ever agreed to in the past,” he says.
Nothing so far suggests either man would proceed to a sea change in U.S.-China relations, Mr. Scissors says, but he cautions that the last election came down to an underlying public sentiment that got short shrift in the campaign.
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“In 2016 it was unhappiness with globalization, and as part of that, unhappiness with China. That was the story of the election,” he says. “In 2020, it could be a deepening of that unhappiness with China, and a signal from the American people that they don’t want the relationship to continue as it has, that could lead to real change concerning China beginning in 2021.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.