Part 3/15:
This shift marked a departure from the relative optimism following the signing of the phase one trade deal in early 2020. As COVID-19 spread and the U.S. faced economic devastation, accusations that China failed to contain the virus and was engaged in a cover-up fueled anti-Chinese sentiments among U.S. policymakers and the public alike. The pandemic thus became intertwined with existing geopolitical grievances, making cooperation increasingly difficult.