China rejects Trump’s demand to allow US team to Wuhan to probe coronavirus

China on Monday firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand to allow an American team into Wuhan to investigate origins of vel coronavirus, saying it was also a "victim and t a culprit" of COVID-19.

Describing vel coronavirus as a plague, Trump on Sunday said that he is t happy with China where pandemic emerged in December last year in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province.

"We spoke to m (Chinese) a long time ago about going in. We want to go in. We want to see what's going on. And we weren't exactly invited, I can tell you that,” Trump told reporters.

US has launched an investigation into wher dely virus "escaped" from Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Reacting to Trump's comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing here that " virus is common enemy for all mankind”.

"It may appear at anytime anywhere in world. Like any or country, China is attacked by this virus. China is a victim inste of culprit. We are t co-worker for this virus," he said in a hard-hitting response to Trump’s plan to send a US probe team.

As COVID-19 death toll in US crossed 41,000 and total infections more than 764,000, highest in world, Trump and several US politicians pressed for action against China for t sharing eugh details of virus early on, when it first emerged in Wuhan.

overall death toll in China as of Sunday stood at 4,632 after its recent revision of figures of fatalities in Wuhan by 50 per cent.

Geng said, "since outbreak of epidemic, China has been acting in an open, transparent and responsible manner with most thorough and strong measures to stop spre of COVID-19".

He said China’s efforts to contain virus has provided “valuable experience for international community” to deal with outbreak in ir own countries.

"This is also part of our important contribution. international community appreciated China for doing this," he said.

Countering US politicians' assertions that China should be sued for so many deaths in world, Geng said, "I don’t remember re are any precedence” for such a prosecution.

Pointing to H1N1 influenza which was detected in US 2009 as well as HIV/AIDS and 2008 financial crisis in America which turned into global ecomic crisis, Geng asked, "did anyone ask US accountability?"

He also turned down Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne's call for an international inquiry into coronavirus including its origins in China.

Payne said re should be a global inquiry without involvement of World Health Organisation (WHO) which has been accused by America of siding with China.

Geng said, " remarks by FM of Australia are totally groundless. We express grave concern and firmly reject that”.

He said China’s performance in containing virus is “well recognised. Any doubt of transparency is t in line with facts and also disrespects arduous efforts and huge scarifies me by Chinese people”.

About allegations that virus originated in Wuhan, Geng said “origin of virus is a serious scientific issue, which requires an assessment from scientists. We hope Australia (will) look at issue in objective and meticulous manner."

On French bel prize winning scientist Luc Montagnier’s remarks that COVID-19 virus came from a lab, and is result of an attempt to manufacture a vaccine against HIV/AIDS, Geng said a number of scientists and WHO said re is evidence for such an allegation.

Citing interview of Yuan Zhiming, of Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Geng said he denied that COVID-19 has escaped from lab.

Yuan said such allegations are “entirely based on speculation. Part of purpose is to confuse people and interfere with our anti-epidemic and scientific activities."

Geng also refuted Trump’s ecomic visor Peter Navarro’s allegations that China is hoarding vital medical gear required in hospitals to treat coronavirus patients.

"It is misleing to say China is hoarding PPEs (personal protection equipment)," he said.

Geng said that from March 1 to April 17, China has provided 1.64 billion masks, 29.19 million surgical protective suits, 156 invasive ventilators and 4254 n-invasive ventilators.

Navarro should stop slandering and focus more on containing spre of COVID-19 in US, Geng said.

coronavirus, which emerged in China in December last year, has killed over 160,000 and infected more than 2.3 million people worldwide.