Source: YouTube    Published: 2020-06-04

Editor's note: The United State plans to suspend passenger flights to China later this month. Russia's top international media "Russia Today" (RT) gave an exclusive interview with Wang Wen, the Executive Dean of  Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY) on this issue. The following is the full text of the interview.

Host: The United States plans to suspend passenger flights to China later this month. It's a tit for tat move, and after Beijing refused to let American carriers into its territory, it is ostensibly centered on containing the Coronavirus. But it's also seen as another thorn in the country's already prickly relations. The US transport departments order, therefore, covers four major Chinese airlines, including the big one, Air China. Pandemic saw them reduce their services, but it won't completely stop. The move still needs to be signed off by president trump, whose previously blamed Beijing for unfair trade and accused it for poorly handling the covered 19 outbreak. Let's talk about this and go to Beijing with the Wen Wang on the line, executive dean of the Chong Yang Institute for Financial Studies. Hi there. Thanks for your time. If China's restricted US airlines, you can hardly blame Trump for doing the same. I'm sure you might say. What do you think about that?

Wangwen: Well, I think that China's a restriction on a inbound frights are aimed at curbing the risks of importing the pandemic. As we all know, China has paid a huge price and does not want the outbreak again. I believe that everyone can understood it. You mentioned the president Trump's new policies about china's airlines, there are more complicated and long story behind it. So let me explain it very briefly. On January 31, when the cold virus in China just broke out, the US government banded non US citizens who had reached China in the past 14 days. And American airlines decided to temporarily stop all Chinese passengers frights. So at times, it was only China Airline that carried out the missions of China and US. On March 29, because of the huge outbreak in US and other countries, China's domestic pandemic was basically under control. So China has to restrict the assess of the international airline. In middle May, American airline planed to resume service to and from China, but China did not immediately agree and hoped to negotiate with United States. So finally, as you mentioned right now the Trump administration took rude measures to suspend all Chinese airlines.

Host: So I mean behind the scenes, do you get a vibe to it that there's more to it than just protecting everyone about Corona-virus. There is a political spat going on here as well. Who's gonna get hurt most? The Chinese flights banned going into America or the American flights banned going into China. Who's gonna get hurt most China or America here.

Wangwen: I think that the logic is very complicated. I think this kind of the tit for tat policy is unreasonable. So it is kind of willfulness and hegemony. During such a serious pandemic period, we should understand each other rather than a stop when you want to stop or open when you want to open. So I think any cooperation should be based on the mutual understanding and equal negotiations. So this time again, so it is very typical Trump's selfish and American first port foreign policy.

Host: Heavens knows where it's gonna leave. The passengers said we've only got time for those answers that moment. My friend. Thank you very much for your time today. Wen Wang in Beijing, the executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial studies. Have a good day or good night.