Beijing tells Pompeo it is futile to smear China over virus

Monitoring Desk

BEIJING: Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi has told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by telephone that attempts to smear China’s efforts to control the coronavirus “will not succeed”, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday.

On the call, Yang told Pompeo that China opposed and condemned U.S. politicians’ efforts to denigrate China’s efforts, and said actions that harmed China’s interests would be retaliated against, according to CCTV.

Also, speaking at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Monday, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geng Shuang, said the United States should lift any sanctions imposed on Iran to ensure that the country receives timely humanitarian aid to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic.

He added that it would be immoral to keep sanctions in force at a time when the fight against the virus in Iran “has entered a crucial stage.” (Reuters)