China hid coronavirus severity to hoard supplies, says US intelligence report
ABCUS officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show. Key points: The Department of Homeland Security claims China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies The Department of Homeland Security claims China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies The Trump administration has stepped up its rhetoric against Beijing amid widespread domestic criticism The Trump administration has stepped up its rhetoric against Beijing amid widespread domestic criticism There is no public evidence to suggest China's handling of coronavirus was an intentional plot to buy up the world's medical supplies Chinese leaders "intentionally concealed the severity" of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1. Not classified but marked "for official use only," the Department of Homeland Security analysis states that, while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus, China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. Stay up-to-date on the coronavirus outbreak Download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the world China's public announcement on January 20 that the virus was transmissible from person to person left the US nearly two months to prepare for the pandemic, during which the US Government failed to bolster medical supplies and deployed flawed testing kits.