OPINION:
It is clear that COVID-19 came out of Wuhan, China. What is unclear is when the People’s Republic of China knew the virus was in humans and where, specifically, the virus came from.
There is some evidence the virus was in the general population before December 2019 and that the Chinese government was aware of that but did not tell the world until late January 2020, after it had spread globally. There is also debate as to exactly how humans first contracted the virus. The Chinese authorities say it came from a meat market, while many suspect it escaped from a government biological-research lab.
If it can be clearly established that the Chinese government hid the virus’ existence for two or more months before January, or the virus escaped from a government lab, then it owes the United States and the rest of the world trillions of dollars for the havoc its gross negligence has caused. Some would call that an act of war.
Collection of the amount owed if the Chinese government refuses to pay (and I am sure it would) could include cancelling all of the debt our government owes it and seizing all PRC-owned assets in the U.S. to offset the damage it has caused.
CDR. WAYNE L. JOHNSON
Commander, Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (retired)
Alexandria, Va.
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