Beijing: U.S. COVID-19 excuses 'barking up the wrong tree'

Washington has been trying to shift blame from the Trump administration's own mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak by smearing Beijing's COVID-19 response, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The move is barking up the wrong tree, spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing, adding its tactics of pressure and coercion will only draw greater disapprobation from the international community.

The remarks came after Trump's letter threatening to halt U.S. funding to the World Health Organization (WHO).

U.S. President Donald Trump during a tour of Honeywell's facility manufacturing protective face masks for the COVID-19 outbreak in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., May 5, 2020. /Reuters

Responding to a question about the U.S. suspending funding to the WHO, Zhao said China has offered response repeatedly.

"WHO members have a legally-binding obligation to pay their assessed contributions, thus the U.S. suspending funding is a fundamental violation of its membership duties, which will definitely deliver a hard blow to the international anti-virus cooperation and probably entail serious ramifications," he stressed.

"It will affect all countries, including the U.S., and particularly those with vulnerable health systems," Zhao added.

Medical supplies donated by the Chinese government arrive at the Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, April 29, 2020. /Xinhua

Zhao urged some U.S. politicians to take on their responsibilities and step up cooperation with the international community in fighting the coronavirus.

Key quotes from President Xi Jinping's speech at opening of 73rd World Health Assembly

Since the outbreak, China has donated 50 million U.S. dollars to the WHO and sent 24 medical teams to support the global fight against COVID-19, Zhao noted, stressing that Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced to provide 2 billion U.S. dollars over the next two years to help with COVID-19 response and economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good, which will be China's contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries, he added.