“It will be interesting to see whether the current pandemic is going to use as a controlled financial explosion, in the sense that an old factory building considered to have outstayed its welcome is carefully detonated in order for the site to be used for the construction of a more modern facility. As I’ve often stated before, I do not believe that countries such as China and Russia are on opposing sides to the West and that, ultimately, they are all trading together and have a clear interest in maintaining the global economy. Up to now, at least. One thing that occurred to me, especially in the wake of presently unsubstantiated theories that the West has launched some kind of biological attack on China as a covert act of war, is that both China and the West may be seeking to take advantage of a common trauma. In other words, just as people are brought together in the event of a shared ordeal it would not surprise me to see China and its allies use this exercise as a means of implementing some of China’s more totalitarian measures in Europe and North America. I am especially referring to the so-called Social Credit System, of course, which was first piloted in 2009 before coming under the direction of the Bank of China in 2018. Whilst this system is based on forcing people to improve their reputation by attaining as many social credits as possible, the punishment awaiting those who fail to acquire enough points includes financial blacklisting. Coupled with a mass surveillance system which includes the accumulation of personal data through facial recognition technology, Chinese citizens even lose points for alleged behavioural transgressions such as eating in public, playing loud music, littering, jaywalking and even failing to turn up at a restaurant after having reserved a table. Low credit ratings can also lead to one’s children being banned from schools and universities, not to mention city centres. Meanwhile, personal information about those who have failed to acquire sufficient points is emblazoned across cinema screens or displayed at metro stations and bus stops. Inevitably, this is also used to silence political dissent. Conversely, people are rewarded for making purchases from certain companies and this can allow them to secure preferential health care and better forms of employment. Needless to say, if China and the West are seen to undertake some kind of unified strategy in the wake of coronavirus this chilling system could well be the next global virus. I don’t have to tell you what the cure is.” -Troy Southgate