China hits back over US slurs

China strongly opposes and condemns certain politicians from the United States for their slanderous comments and attempts to stigmatize the country over its efforts to fight the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak, top diplomat Yang Jiechi said on Monday.

Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday night.

Yang said that China's arduous effort to curb the spread of the virus had bought time for global epidemic control.

China made it clear to the US that any attempt to discredit it will not succeed, and any act that undermines the interests of the country will be resolutely fought by the Chinese side, he added.

Beijing urged Washington to strengthen communication and cooperation with China and the international community for the common interests of the people from the US, China and the wider world, and to jointly uphold global public health security, Yang said.