The United States was the first nation to begin evacuations, issued
a travel warning against going to China, and from Sunday barred
entry to foreigners recently in China.
Washington has "unceasingly manufactured and spread panic", Chinese
foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters, noting
that the World Health Organization (WHO) had advised against trade
and travel curbs.
"It is precisely developed countries like the United States with
strong epidemic prevention capabilities and facilities that have
taken the lead in imposing excessive restrictions contrary to WHO
recommendations," she added, saying countries should make
reasonable, calm and science-based judgements.
In China, 361 people have died with more than 17,000 infected from
the virus, which originated in the central city of Wuhan. At least
another 171 cases have been reported in more than two dozen other
countries and regions, from the United States to Japan.
Conducting her daily news briefing via the WeChat app rather than in
person, Hua also chided the United States for lack of help. "So far,
the U.S. government has yet to provide any substantial assistance to
China," she said.
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That contrasted with President Donald Trump's weekend comments that
U.S. officials had offered "tremendous help."
However, his national security adviser Robert O'Brien told an
interviewer China had not yet accepted U.S. offers of aid.
Tensions over the coronavirus come after the two world's largest
economies have only just started to patch up relations from an
18-month trade war.
Trump said over the weekend the United States had "shut down" the
coronavirus threat. "We can't have thousands of people coming in who
may have this problem," he told broadcaster Fox.
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam have also announced
restrictions on travel from China, while numerous nations have been
evacuating citizens.
(Reporting by Gabriel Crossley; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by
Clarence Fernandez and Andrew Cawthorne)
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