China and the US started pointing fingers at each other over COVID-19

Last updated on February 23rd, 2023 at 10:44 am

US and China leaders have begun blame game since the episode of coronavirus on who is liable for originating the pandemic.

On Monday night, US President Donald Trump named Covid-19 the “Chinese virus” against the advice of his administration. He was cautioned earlier by his officials that naming diseases after regions and nations can create a racist backfire and shame.

It was yet another opportunity for Trump administration for heightening spat with Beijing, as certain Chinese officials blamed the US military labs for starting the pandemic.

A week ago, Chinese Foreign Ministry representative Zhao Lijian tweeted, “It may be US armed force who carried the pestilence to Wuhan,” “Be straightforward! Make open your information! The US owes us clarification!” the NBC News published.

In response, Mike Pompeo tweeted, The United States is trying their level best to protect our people and contain the worldwide #coronavirus pandemic. Beijing must recognize our role and be a part of the solution.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the same week alluded to Covid-19 as the “Wuhan infection,” and on Monday, he criticized Chinese endeavors “to spread disinformation” to blame Washington for the outbreak.

Pompeo called Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, to hold up an official objection with Beijing’s “endeavors to pass the blame for coronavirus on the United States.”

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The US State Department stated, “The Secretary stressed that it isn’t the time to spread disinformation and gossip, but instead a time for all countries to join hands to battle the pandemic,” The National cited.

“Some US politicians have continued undermining China and China’s pandemic response and ridiculing China. Any plan to defamation and smear China has no chance of success,” Hua Chunying, a representative for the Chinese foreign ministry, responded on Tuesday at Washington’s remarks.

The blame and counterclaims appear to have begun in late February when medical specialist Zhong Nanshan claimed that the infection “might not have started in China.”

After seven days, China’s representative to South Africa Lin Songtian tweeted that even though the worldwide spread started there, “It didn’t imply that the originated from China. The quarrel is undermining good relations between the two nations.

Article Credit: The National/NBC News

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