China won’t pay? Put a levy on its exports

China owes us £351billion for the coronavirus bill, said one of your headlines last week. Too right. They concealed bad news from the world, not wanting the publicity that would show for the third time a virus has come out of China and is killing innocent people.

Life in China is beginning to return to some kind of normality, but the wildlife markets which had been closed down by authorities have begun to reopen.

I cannot comprehend this. It is utter madness. Bethany Webb, Bodfari, North Wales

We haven’t got a chance in hell that China will pay up, so all countries that have had to borrow to cover their costs should put a 25 per cent levy on all imported goods from China. Ron Godfrey, Claygate, Surrey

I could not believe the arrogance of the letter from the Chinese Embassy last week, which indicated that the world should be grateful for China’s ‘significant contribution to global public health and safety’.

As Covid-19 originated in China, this is certainly not a contribution to global public health, more a disregard for it. There should be a thorough UN investigation, independent of China, into exactly how and where the virus originated. Peter Moxon, Rotherham

China must eventually be punished by other responsible nations when this is over, but I have also been very disappointed by the late response and lack of leadership by the European Union.

If, as a large bloc, the EU had acted with speed and authority, and stopped all travel to and from China, thereby setting an example, I have no doubt the rest of the world would have followed suit within 48 hours and the epidemic in China may not have become a pandemic. The EU seems to be more concerned about weights and measures than something that involves life and death. I would hope that governments around the world, including our own, form a small department made up of scientists and biologists to monitor any possible outbreaks anywhere in the world, with a view to immediately stopping all movement to the country of origin until the matter is fully resolved.

After all, prevention is better than cure. Neil Loryman, York

While China persists in allowing live food markets, anyone from

that country arriving in Britain should be placed in quarantine at their own expense for a minimum of 14 days. R. Wilson, Bolton

With any luck, this crisis will kickstart more goods being made in this country, helping to create wealth and prosperity.

I am sick of seeing ‘Made in China’ on everything in the shops. Let’s get back to ‘Made in Britain’. J. Bird, Cardiff