Trump’s Reference to ‘Chinese Virus’ Smeared Our Country, Says Beijing

“Some politicians in the US associated the coronavirus with China, and smeared China. China expresses its strong anger and opposition to that,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday, South China Morning Post reported.

“We call on the US to stop finger pointing at China. The utmost priority is for the international community to cooperate on fighting the virus.

“The US should focus on its top priority, and play a constructive role in international cooperation on health security.”

In a series of tweets, Trump urged Americans to “band together and support your neighbors by not hoarding unnecessary amounts of food and essentials”.

“Together we will stay strong and overcome this challenge!” he wrote.

“The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese virus. We will be stronger than ever before!”

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

The disease, which was first reported in China and has now spread to more than 130 countries has damaged relations between China and the US and they trade accusations about the origins of the coronavirus that causes it.

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said the coronavirus outbreak is damaging Trump’s prospects of being re-elected.

“The election looks completely different to him compared with three months ago and has inflicted heavy pain on the economy,” he said.

“There have been ups and downs in US-China ties over the past year but the fundamental trend since 2008 has been downwards”.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clashed with China’s most senior diplomat on Monday over what he called Beijing’s efforts “to shift blame for Covid-19 to the United States” as accusations – and even allegations of conspiracy – flew between Beijing and Washington.

Some Chinese diplomats have been pushing a conspiracy theory that the US army was behind the outbreak in Wuhan, and Pompeo told Yang Jiechi in a phone call that “this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat”, according to the State Department.

During the call, Yang, Beijing’s top diplomat, denounced US lawmakers’ criticisms of China’s disease control efforts, according to Chinese state media reports.

He said these comments had “denigrated” China’s measures and “aroused the strong indignation of the Chinese people”.