China denies subjecting US diplomats to Covid-19 anal tests

China on Thursday denied subjecting US diplomats to COVID-19 anal tests following reports from Washington that some of its personnel were being made to undergo the procedure.

Chinese Foreign Ministr y spokesperson Zhao Li j i an t ol d reporters at a daily briefing that "China has never asked US diplomats in China to go through anal swab t est s . " A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was "committed to guaranteeing the safety and security of American diplomats and t heir families while preser ving t heir di gnity, consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as other relevant diplomatic law provisions." The Washington Post reported last week that some US personnel had t ol d the department they had been subjected to the anal t est s .

The procedure has been applied in China because it is reportedly more accurate than nasal or mouth swabs. China has not reported a new local case of COVID-19 in more than a week, but has maintained strict testing, especially for people arriving from abroad.