US army brought Covid-19 to Wuhan: Chinese official
BEIJING: A war of words has broken out between China and the US over the novel coronavirus pandemic with Beijing on Thursday alleging that it could have been the American military that brought the virus to Wuhan, the outbreak’s epicentre.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian tweeted the allegation on Thursday, referring to the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) director Robert Redfield’s statement that some Americans who had died apparently died of influenza could have been infected by the novel coronavirus.
Zhao, spokesperson and deputy director general of the information department of the foreign ministry, tweeted, “CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!”
Earlier, Zhao referred to Redfield’s statement made during a meeting in Washington. Zhao didn’t elaborate on his allegation.
Earlier in the day, the Chinese foreign ministry reacted sharply when asked to respond to the allegation made by Robert O’Brien, the White House national security adviser, that China covered up the virus outbreak in Wuhan, and this likely cost the world two months of time to prepare.
“The US official accuses China of ‘covering up’ the disease. Well, the world knows better that China released information in an open and transparent manner,” spokesperson Geng Shuang said.