The world will make China ‘pay a price’ over coronavirus outbreak, Mike Pompeo says

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that he believes the world will make China “pay a price” for the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think the world will absolutely make them pay a price,” the nation’s top diplomat said during a virtual event with The Hill.

“Every place I go, every foreign minister that I talk to, they recognize what China has done to the world. I’m very confident that the world will look at China differently and engage with them fundamentally different than they did before this catastrophic disaster,” Pompeo said.

The Trump administration for months has hinted that the U.S. would take steps to punish China for failing to prevent the deadly virus, which was first observed in the Chinese city of Wuhan, from spreading around the globe.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed legislation to impose sanctions on China in response to its interference with Hong Kong’s autonomy. However, two sources told CNBC’s Kayla Tausche that Trump plans to hold off on sanctions for the time being over concerns of a worsening relationship with China.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/15/the-world-will-make-china-pay-a-price-over-coronavirus-outbreak-mike-pompeo-says.html