United States ramps up rhetoric over China virus response

The Trump administration is making ever louder pronouncements casting blame on China for the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to sidestep domestic criticism of the president's own response, tarnish China’s global reputation and give the U.S. leverage on trade and other aspects of U.S.-China competition.

Tuesday, Defense Secretay Mark Esper slammed the Chinese government, saying "they're trying to capitalize on this by promoting their own image that somehow China is the good guy here."

"The Chinese have not been transparent from the beginning," he said.

The State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the White House have all launched public efforts in recent days to lay bare what they say is clear evidence that China tried to mask the scale of the outbreak and then refused to provide critical access to U.S. and global scientists that could have saved lives.

More than 250,000 people have died globally from COVID-19, including more than 68,000 in the U.S.

China strongly rejects Trump's version of events.

On Monday, China’s official Global Times newspaper said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was making “groundless accusations” against Beijing by suggesting the coronavirus was released from a Chinese laboratory.

The Trump administration, one senior administration official says, is trying to convince the world that China isn’t playing by the same rules as everyone else, and that may be the biggest punishment for an intensely proud emerging superpower.

Esper also criticized China for what he described as aggressive military moves in the South China Sea.

He said that last week, two U.S. Navy ships conducted freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea "to send a clear message to Beijing that we will continue to protect freedom of navigation and commerce for all nations, large and small."