Xi Jinping says China acted in an open & transparent manner on coronavirus pandemic

China’s President Xi Jinping, on September 8, reportedly said that Beijing acted in an open and transparent manner on the COVID-19 pandemic. While speaking at a ceremony honouring role models during country’s fight against the virus, the Chinese President said that his country had taken concrete efforts that helped save tens of millions of lives around the globe during the pandemic. 

While several countries have blamed China for their failure to control the spread of the deadly virus, Xi reportedly said that his country had taken steps and had informed WHO at an early stage. The Chinese president at the ceremony even hailed his country’s and said that China is the first major economy to return to growth during the pandemic, a fact he said demonstrates the country’s strong abilities and vitality. 

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China faces global flak over COVID-19 

Meanwhile, countries including US and Australia have repeatedly pushed for declaring Beijing the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. Australia even led the charge to launch an international, independent inquiry into the origins of the unprecedented coronavirus so that governments can prevent it from happening again. 

On the other hand, the United States has claimed that COVID-19 is a man-made disease and it emerged at a virology laboratory in Wuhan. However, China said that there is no evidence to suggest that the virus originated at a seafood market in Wuhan. The Communist nation continues to face global scrutiny over the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and China's role in keeping it hidden during its early stages. There have been endless suspicions on whether China even released the official figures of the virus, with experts rubbishing its 'official' numbers.

Apart from this, China's expansionist tactics, at a time when the world is reeling under the effects of the coronavirus, have also faced serious criticism with countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and India hitting back at China over its monopoly of the South China sea, its atrocities in Hong Kong or its attempts to infiltrate the LAC. 

(Image credit: AP) 

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