China distances from official's tweet blaming US Army for getting coronavirus to Wuhan

China on Friday distanced itself from a tweet put out by one of its officials alleging that US Army may have brought dely coronavirus to Wuhan, saying origin of outbreak required scientific assessment, amid a war of words between Washington and Beijing over source of COVID-19.

China's official media on Thursday reported that US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield reportedly ackwledged some flu patients in America may have been misdiagsed and actually h coronavirus. Referring to Redfiled's remarks, Zhao Lijian, who until recently was China's Deputy Ambassor to Pakistan, alleged in his tweet that US Army might have brought COVID-19 to Wuhan, epicenter of virus' outbreak in China.

"CDC was caught on spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are names of hospitals? It might be US army that brought epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao tweeted on Thursday with a video of Redfield's comments.

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His tweet alleging US conspiracy for coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan sparked a furore on Twitter. "re are many different opinions about source of coronavirus among international community. We believe this is a matter of science and required professional and scientific assessment," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters here on Friday while answering questions on Zhao's tweet.

Asked wher it was also Chinese government's view which has lodged a protest to US over issue, Geng said: "what I said represents Chinese government's attitude". When asked wher media should take Zhao's tweet as an official position of Chinese government and Foreign Ministry as he is one of its spokesmen, Geng replied: "I think you may want to ask certain US officials, do y speak on behalf of US government when y attacked and smeared China recently".

Elaborating on China's stand, Geng said, "we ted recently re are some discussions about COVID-19 virus. Certain US congressmen, senior officials me untrue and irresponsible remarks on issue to attack China". "We firmly reject that. In fact international community including US have a different opinion about source of virus. But China always believes that this is a matter of science which requires professional and scientific assessment," he said.

Kwn for his Twitter outbursts from days of his Pakistan posting where he attacked critics of controversial China-Pakistan Ecomic Corridor (CPEC) and interning of thousands of Uighur Muslims in what China terms as education camps, Zhao after his recent posting as Deputy Director-General of Information Department of Chinese Foreign Ministry turned his ire against US highlighting racial tensions in America.

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He was first Chinese diplomats to open an official account on Twitter and used platform prolifically with an apparent backing of Chinese government. w, most of Chinese diplomats, including Chinese Ambassor to India Sun Weidong, have taken to Twitter to convey ir policies and opinions.

vel coronavirus which according to Chinese officials is worst disaster faced by China in recent deces has resulted in 3,176 deaths with 80,813 infection cases in country. Since corona outbreak which came to light on December 31, several media reports attributed source of disease to an animal market in Wuhan which was subsequently shutdown.

On March 5, Zhao told a media briefing that origin of virus was yet to be determined, raising questions over reports that virus h originated from live animals' market in Wuhan. "It is yet undetermined where virus originated. Wherever its origin may be, China and all or affected countries are victims faced with challenge in containing its spre," Zhao h said. China in recent weeks has sharply criticised US officials especially Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for terming virus as "Wuhan virus" even after WHO has officially named it COVID-19.

On Monday, Geng condemned Pompeo for branding coronavirus as "Wuhan virus", terming his remarks as "despicable behaviour" and an attempt to stigmatise Communist country. virus has claimed 4,925 lives and infected 131,500 people across 116 countries and territories. World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday characterised COVID-19 outbreak as a "pandemic" and expressed deep concern over its "alarming levels" of "spre, severity, as well as inaction".

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