U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, blamed China for spreading misinformation. (Image via The Bulwark)

Pompeo: China distributed false information about COVID-19

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
International
Mar 26, 2020
2207
During videoconference talks with the Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G-7), the U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, stated that the foreign ministers agreed with him that China is distributing false information regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The videoconference meeting between Pompeo and top diplomats from the major industrialized nations came as the U.S scrapped the meeting in Pittsburgh amid the COVID-19 fears restrict international travel. The talks came a day before a virtual summit of G-20 leaders, including the U.S and China.

Pompeo, criticizing Beijing harshly over the so-called “Wuhan Virus”, said that the diplomats from the U.K, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan also agreed with him. Speaking to the reporters, Pompeo said that the ministers and he were deeply aware that Beijing is trying to deflect from what has really taken place by a massive disinformation campaign.

Referring to it as a “crazy talk”, Pompeo said that the Chinese government has been telling its people a conspiracy theory the U.S was the one behind the virus, originating from Wuhan, Hubei Province, Central China.

Apparently, Beijing managed to bring the COVID-19 under control and started distributing aids by sending masks and other reliefs around the world. One of the countries helped by China was Italy, known as an ally to the U.S.

Not willing to give up, the U.S is finalizing plans to deploy excess military equipment to Italy. Making things hotter, Pompeo said that China is acting like they are the white hat in the matter. Despite the strident criticism and puns, Pompeo admitted that the U.S sought cooperation from every country including China to resolve the pandemic and to preserve lives as many as it could.

Source: https://bit.ly/2QLz9Jj

Politics , Conflict , Trade-war , U.S , China , COVID-19 , Mike-Pompeo , G-7