China Lashes out at U.S. Over COVID-19, Threatens Australia

By Fox News. China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday accused the United States of “lying through their teeth” and suggested the country mind its own business as the war of words between the world’s two biggest economic powers escalated.

“We advise American politicians to reflect on their own problems and try their best to control the [coronavirus] epidemic as soon as possible instead of continuing to play tricks to deflect blame,” spokesman Geng Shuang said.

The comments came on the heels of President Trump suggesting in a press conference on Monday that the U.S. would be seeking “substantial” compensation for China’s handling of the global pandemic. . .

Australia has also been on the receiving end of Beijing’s spiral. China’s ambassador to Australia warned on Monday that the government’s call for an independent international inquiry into the origins of the pandemic could lead to a Chinese boycott of Australian products.

“Maybe the ordinary people will say, ‘Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?'” Ambassador Chen Jingye threatened, The Australian Financial Review reported. (Read more from “China Lashes out at U.S. Over COVID-19, Threatens Australia” HERE)

______________________________________________________

China Threatens Economic Consequences If Australia Launches Investigation of Beijing’s Handling of Coronavirus

By The Hill. Chinese officials are threatening economic consequences if Australia moves ahead with an investigation into Beijing’s early handling of the coronavirus outbreak, Australian Sky News reported on Monday.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye said Beijing could encourage Chinese citizens to boycott Australian exports and products if Australia was to initiate the probe, the news outlet reported.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne called the Chinese threats “economic coercion” and repeated calls for an investigation into the early handling of the outbreak, which is thought to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. (Read more from “China Threatens Economic Consequences If Australia Launches Investigation of Beijing’s Handling of Coronavirus” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE