China: Pompeo Doesn’t Have Any Virus Evidence

Date: 06 May 2020 - 21:37

News ID: ۷۸۳۰۳

BEIJING (AFP) -- China on Wednesday hit back at U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his claims that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan, saying he "doesn’t have any” evidence.
Pompeo said on Sunday that there was "enormous evidence” to show that the new coronavirus originated in a lab in China, further fueling tensions with Beijing over its handling of the outbreak.
"I think this matter should be handed to scientists and medical professionals, and not politicians, who lie for their own domestic political ends,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing.
"Mr Pompeo repeatedly spoke up but he cannot present any evidence. How can he? Because he doesn’t have any,” she said.
Pompeo said Sunday in an interview that there was "enormous evidence” that the new coronavirus came out of a Wuhan lab.
Most scientists believe the new virus, which emerged in China late last year, jumped from animals to humans -- possibly from a market in Wuhan selling exotic animals for meat.
The World Health Organization said the U.S. claims were "speculative”.
The United States is the worst-hit country in the world, with more than 70,000 deaths.
Beijing has accused the U.S. of trying to divert attention from its domestic handling of the outbreak. "We urge the US to stop... shifting the focus to China,” Hua said.
"It should handle its domestic affairs properly first. The most important thing now is to control the U.S.’ domestic pandemic spread and think of ways to save lives.”

Warns Hong Kong Rioters

China also warned Hong Kong rioters it would not tolerate them "stirring up trouble again” in the semi-autonomous territory that was rocked by months of unrest last year.
"We noticed that the black violent forces slowed down a little when faced with the Hong Kong epidemic, but now they are stirring up trouble again,” China’s top body overseeing Hong Kong said in a statement, referring to the black clothing worn by many of the rioters.
"The central government will not sit idly by and watch these insane and wantonly destructive forces,” said the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, adding that protesters wanted to "drag Hong Kong off a cliff”.
The statement came after Hong Kong’s economy posted its worst-ever quarterly decline of 8.9 percent, pushing the territory deeper into recession.
Riots began in June last year, triggered by opposition to a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China where courts are controlled by the Communist Party.