China tells US to mind own business, concentrate on fighting COVID-19

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China has urged the United States (US) to mind its own business and concentrate more on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, made these remarks after the US Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, had accused China, during a recent interview, regarding lacking transparency on COVID-19 and misleading the world from the beginning of the outbreak. 

"If the US has been misled or not given enough information in the early stages of the pandemic, why did the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issue warnings on January 15?" Zhao questioned at the daily news briefing in Beijing. 

"Why did the US announce the closure of its consulate general in Wuhan on Jan 25 and evacuate its personnel? And why did the US shut its borders to all Chinese nationals and foreigners that had been to China in the past 14 days on Feb 2?" he asked further.

“Smear and stigmatization will not cover the facts and shifting blame will not kill the virus, while cooperation and solidarity is the only way to defeat the pandemic,” Zhao stated. 

“China urges the US to mind its own business and focus more on defeating the virus and reviving its economy,” he advised. 

Also on April 17, when responding to criticism and doubts from leaders of France and the United Kingdom in terms of China's dealing with the virus, Zhao had clarified that it’s not helpful to judge different political systems at present.

“The urgent task for all countries is to show solidarity to defeat the pandemic and save lives,” he added. 

“After the outbreak of the virus, the leaders of China and France have held three telephone conversations to express mutual support,” Zhao said. 

“The leaders and foreign ministers from China and the UK have also discussed cooperation in combating the pandemic during their phone calls,” he said. 

“China is willing to work with the international community to uphold multilateralism and strengthen international cooperation to jointly safeguard the health and security of mankind,” he stressed.