Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang (Photo from Foreign Ministry website)

 China strongly opposes some US officials' use of the novel coronavirus to smear China's efforts in fighting the virus and stigmatize China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said following Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai's comments on the origin of the virus in an interview with US media outlets. 

The origin of the novel coronavirus is a scientific issue that requires scientific and professional opinions, and the World Health Organization has made it clear that the virus cannot be connected with specific countries and regions and it is opposed to stigma, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at Monday's media briefing. 

"We express firm opposition to some US officials who have used the COVID-19 epidemic to smear the Chinese government and Chinese people's efforts in containing the spread of the virus, and used the virus to stigmatize China," Geng said. 

Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai took an interview with AXIOS and HBO on Tuesday, in which he was asked questions on the origin of the virus and US' claims that it was a "Chinese virus."

Cui said that determining where the virus originally came from is a job for scientists, not for diplomats, and it is not for journalists to speculate, as such speculation will help nobody. 

The international community should work together to overcome difficulties, as trying to divert attention and shirk responsibility was of no help to any country's efforts in containing the virus, and also of no help in helping the international community contain the virus, Geng said.  

Global Times