Photo: Beijing has slammed US politicians' references to COVID-19 as "Chinese coronavirus". (AP: Andy Wong)
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A spokesman for China's ministry of foreign affairs has lashed out at the United States' handling of the coronavirus outbreak, saying COVID-19 may have been brought into China by US soldiers.
Key points:
A prominent Chinese official has taken to Twitter to suggest COVID-19 started in the US
China has taken umbrage with US politicians' references to COVID-19 as the "Wuhan virus" or "Chinese coronavirus"
Asian-Americans have reported an increase in racist attacks amid the outbreak
Lijian Zhao, a prominent firebrand official with more than 300,000 followers on Twitter, took to the social media platform to suggest the origin of COVID-19 was in fact the United States, not China.
"When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals?" Mr Zhao wrote on Twitter.
"It might be US Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan."
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"Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" he added.
Mr Zhao later posted an article he said provided "further evidence that the virus originated in the US".
The article was published by the so-called Centre for Research on Globalisation, which has previously been accused of promoting pro-Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories, particularly those that undermine faith in Western media.
Republican senator Marco Rubio, who regularly criticises China, said the ruling Communist Party was "encouraging conspiracy theories" about COVID-19 to "dampen internal discontent", "distract from a true infection rate", and to "save face internationally".
The US State Department and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not immediately respond to the ABC's request for comment.
The CDC has said in public statements, however, that China is where COVID-19 "first started".
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The Chinese state-run Global Times newspaper also sought to place blame on the US and institutions like the CDC, writing that the US had bombarded China with "groundless accusations and discrimination".
"Now, the world sees the US as the reason for many problems while the source of the virus remains undetected," it wrote, adding many people on Chinese social media believed the disease began in the US.
The comments represent an escalation in a war of words between Washington and Beijing amid the pandemic.
China has taken umbrage with US politicians' references to COVID-19 as the "Wuhan virus" or "Chinese coronavirus".
In an editorial, the Global Times argued that such language from Republicans such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, house minority leader Kevin McCarthy and congressman Paul Gosar demonstrated the GOP was "prone to racism" and "in danger of becoming far right".
At a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, foreign affairs spokesman Geng Shuang said "we hope certain US officials could focus on domestic response and international cooperation instead of trying to shift the blame to China by denigrating the Chinese Government and people's efforts to fight the epidemic."
It is not only the Chinese Government that has criticised perceived xenophobia on the part of US elected officials.
Photo: Asian-Americans have condemned what they say is racism, fear-mongering and misinformation aimed at Asian communities amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP: Steven Senne)
Like people of Asian heritage in Australia, Asian-Americans have widely reported an increase in racist attacks as a result of coronavirus.
Democratic House of Representatives member Grace Meng this week called on Mr McCarthy to apologise for referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese coronavirus".
"This labelling of the illness is embarrassing, disrespectful, offensive, and downright disgusting," she said in a statement.
"Wrongly inserting 'Chinese' into the name of this disease only reinforces the disparaging and negative stereotypes of Asian-Americans."
