China says Trump's 'China virus' tweet smears China

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said U.S. President Donald Trump's "Chinese virus" tweet smears China, saying Beijing strongly opposes Trump's usage of the words.

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson for the ministry, made the remarks after President Trump branded the COVID-19 as "Chinese virus" in a tweet and claimed it has affected U.S. industries.

The World Health Organization and the international community are clearly against linking the virus to specific countries and regions, Geng said, adding they all oppose creating stigma.

The U.S. should first take care of its own matters, Geng said.