US fear China will extort the world if they develop a Coronavirus vaccine first

The United States and China are locked in a race to develop a coronavirus vaccine as fears mount that the latter country would use its success in developing one as economic and diplomatic leverage. 

As countries across the globe coordinate to create a vaccine for COVID-19, which has sickened more than 3.3 million people worldwide, the US and China have stuck with a nationalized approach. 

They know that whoever finds a workable vaccine right now basically rules the world, a national security official told Politico on condition of anonymity. 

The outlet published a report about the so-called vaccine war on Sunday, which describes how national security officials and public health experts are increasingly concerned about the prospect of China developing a vaccine first.