The novel coronavirus has created a health threat unlike any other in our lifetimes. Though the coronavirus outbreak has now turned into a global pandemic, China took the first and hardest hit as the virus caught the country unaware without any warning.

Moreover, China has, against all odds, succeeded in containing the outbreak. Through timely and pragmatic measures taken by its prudent leadership and sacrifices of its medical workers, China could celebrate the victory in its people's war against the epidemic.

But many countries have squandered the opportunity to take necessary preparations for preventing and controlling the outbreak. Some major countries have wasted time on smearing China instead of setting their own house in order. As a result, they have eventually been the worst victim of the pandemic. No country has been spared the attack of the coronavirus. The list of deaths and infections is, therefore, getting longer on every corner of the world.

Mankind is crying out for mercy. They are looking at major countries to come forward to their help, because they are now in such a critical moment when humanity is under an existential threat from an invisible enemy--coronavirus. Given the situation, China has extended its helping hands to the rest of the world. With its first-hand experience with coronavirus, the country has sent assistance to more than 180 countries.

Meanwhile, many countries, irrespective of the East and the West, have forged ahead pragmatic coordination and effective cooperation with China to combat the coronavirus. People around the world have also expected similar efforts from the United States, because the US is considered much more capable to help the world than any other country. But much to their surprise, the people have found the US swimming against the tide smashing their expectations.

The worst of all is that the leadership of the US has failed to read the minds of the world. And they have engaged in delivering heated political rhetoric against China. Though the US has unfortunately been the worst coronavirus-hit nation of the world, they are still wasting time in putting blames on China for the pandemic. Analysts and experts are taken aback by some of the US moves as regarding the fight against the coronavirus. They have never expected that the US can stoop to such ridiculous low to stop funding the World Health Organization (WHO). Many are of the view that the US has manifested its silliness by blaming China for concealing the number of fatalities and infections from the disease.

People expect, given the gravity and severity of the circumstances, the US must put its all rivalries and grudges against China, if any, aside for the time being. They would like to see that the US has forged ahead all-out cooperation with China to defeat the coronavirus. Because it's utterly impossible for a single country to solely tackle the pandemic worldwide. But China and the US together have the potential and capabilities to leand the world to defeat the coronavirus. If the two major countries join hands to fight against the pandemic, their state-of-the-art technologies, advanced medicine, internationally acclaimed medical workers, equipment, experience and funding can defeat the virus. That's why cooperation between China and the US is a must for safeguarding humanity from the curse of the pandemic.

People around the world, therefore, want China and the US to build effective cooperation and coordination on combating the virus. They are eagerly waiting to see that the two major countries have come closer to save the world. It's now become global popular demand that China and the US must shun their differences to defeat the coronavirus for the sake of humanity.

In this case, China has already said international cooperation is the only way to defeat coronavirus. The country has also asked the world to join together in the fight against the virus. Now the ball is in the US court. Mankind is looking at the leadership of the US for launching a global cooperation on the fight against the pandemic. They expect wise leaders will take responsibility to work together for the welfare of mankind. The world also firmly believes that common sense must prevail against arrogance, cooperation over conspiracy and harmony over enmity in the long run. But the earlier much-awaited cooperation is formed, the more lives will be saved from the pandemic.

The author is the China Correspondent of the Bangladesh Post.