Chinese State Broadcaster Wants U.S. Investigated for “Mishandling” Coronavirus

The international community should investigate the U.S. for its response to the Coronavirus, according to a Chinese state broadcaster. The claim comes as China ramps up attacks on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

CNN’s National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood reported on Tuesday that Chinese outlet CCTV raised the idea of an investigation.

“Chinese state-run broadcaster CCTV now says the intl community should investigate the US for ‘mishandling’ the coronavirus pandemic,” Atwood tweeted.

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“CCTV also calls the US the ‘main exporter’ of the virus given the high # of cases in the US, though Wuhan is where the initial outbreak began.”

The U.S. has become the epicenter of the virus but Tuesday’s remarks appear to be part of a wider strategy. Chinese state-run outlets have launched stinging attacks against Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in recent days.

Pompeo said there was evidence that Covid-19 originated in a lab in Wuhan – a a claim widely disputed, including by American intelligence agencies. China’s media has called him “evil” and “insane”.

“If evil politicians like Pompeo continue to lie and bluff, then the Americans ‘becoming great again’ can only be seen as a joke,” said a report on state radio.

An editorial in state-run newspaper Global Times also took aim at Pompeo.

“Since Pompeo said his claims are supported by ‘enormous evidence,’ then he should present this so-called evidence to the world, and especially to the American public who he continually tries to fool,” the paper said.

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Darragh Roche

Darragh Roche is a journalist covering U.S. politics and media