US shouldn’t use COVID-19 to intervene in sovereign countries affairs: SLCFA

The Sri Lanka - China Friendship Association (SLCFA) condemned what it called ‘the efforts of the United States to intervene into internal affairs of sovereign states’ under the pretext of investigating COVID-19.   
In a statement, the SLCFA said such attempts from a country that has a history of destabilising other countries must be viewed with great suspicion, especially as it can set a precedent. President of SLCFA, Attorney-at-Law, Ananda Goonatilleke said in recent weeks the US President Donald Trump has insisted it wants to send a team of ‘experts’ to Wuhan to determine the cause of COVID-19.   

“The Western countries, who had shown extreme incompetence in dealing with COVID-19 are now trying to distract their own angry citizens, by scapegoating China who is a victim of COVID-19,” Goonatilleke said. Noting that China had refused to oblige such demeaning demand, SLCFA President said that, “this is the only answer that a sovereign nation can give to imperialist forces that attempt to intervene in the affairs of a country.”   
“The United States and its lackeys also attempted, and continue to do so, to intervene in the affairs of Sri Lanka, during our war against separatist terrorism and also after the victory of war, had used international mechanisms, to influence our country. The rise of China has given nations like Sri Lanka some breathing space from the tyranny of the West,” he said. “Since the breakout of the virus China has acted with transparency and responsibility, by sharing the genetic sequence of the virus with the world and by assisting countries in need by providing medical equipment and even healthcare workers.”   

“When Italy and Serbia called for aid; the EU abandoned them. US has not offered any substantial assistance to any country. At a time when all the nations in the world must act together to share information and resources to mitigate the crisis, the actions of US and the west is endangering the world,” President of SLCFA said.     

“The Western countries, who had shown extreme incompetence in dealing with COVID-19 are now trying to distract their own angry citizens, by scapegoating China who is a victim of COVID-19,”