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Updated April 12th, 2022 at 17:43 IST

China asks US to refrain from slandering Beijing's anti-COVID policies amid rising cases

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, on Tuesday, asked the United States to refrain from criticizing Beijing's anti-COVID policy.

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
China
Image: AP/Unsplash | Image:self
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In a key development, China, on Tuesday, asked the United States to refrain from criticizing Beijing's anti-COVID policies. Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that Beijing is absolutely against the United States politicising the evacuation issue. This comes after the US State Department ordered non-essential US government employees to leave the embassy in Shanghai amid an increase in COVID cases and China's steps to control the virus, the Global Times reported.

Lijian stated that the US needs to stop slandering and undermining China's pandemic prevention and control policy. He also asked the US to refrain from exploiting the pandemic as a pretext for political manipulation. He said China has made its position clear on the United States' prior authorization to evacuate some of its employees and their families from the Consulate General in Shanghai. Lijian stated that it is up to the US to decide if an evacuation is "authorised" or "mandatory." The spokesperson also emphasised China's scientific and effective pandemic prevention and control policy.

Foreign nationals in Shanghai joined together to fight virus: China

"We are completely convinced that Shanghai and other cities would triumph over the new COVID-19 outbreak," Lijian remarked, as per the Global Times. He claimed that many foreign citizens based in Shanghai, including those from the United States, have joined together to fight the virus. In compliance with applicable international norms and policies, relevant Chinese agencies and local governments have provided assistance to foreign diplomatic and consular staff in China, the spokesperson noted. Last week, the US State Department declared that non-emergency staff could voluntarily leave the embassy in Shanghai.

Chinese President promises to 'minimize' impact of COVID on economy

It is pertinent to mention here that Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to "minimize" the impact of COVID on the nation's economy. However, the deteriorating situation in Shanghai and the prolonged lockdown have prompted serious concerns about the government's response to the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Since last month, 23 cities across the country have been under strict COVID safety regulations, resulting in complete or partial lockdowns at several places, Nomura reported. Over 90 Taiwanese companies have reported that the lockdowns have harmed their operations, including Unimicron Technology, a leading printed circuit board manufacturer, and Giant Manufacturing, a leading bicycle manufacturer.

Image: AP/Unsplash

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Published April 12th, 2022 at 17:43 IST

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