UNITED STATES — The United States on Friday summoned China’s ambassador after a senior official in Beijing tweeted the “ridiculous” suggestion that the US military started the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department said. David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for Asia, gave a “stern representation” to Ambassador Cui Tiankai a day after foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted the conspiracy theory. ADVERTISEMENT“China is seeking to deflect criticism for its role in starting a global pandemic and not telling the world,” a State Department official said. We wanted to put the government on notice we won’t tolerate it, for the good of the Chinese people and the world,” the official said. US owe us an explanation,” tweeted Zhao, who is known for his provocative statements on social media.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 13, 2020 20:26 UTC