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China firmly opposes the politicization and stigmatization of the origin of the novel coronavirus, said Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian on Tuesday, in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's claim that the novel coronavirus spread from China to the world on Monday.

"The origin must be based on facts and science and studied by scientists and medical experts," Zhao said at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on Abe’s remarks.

Politicizing and stigmatizing the source of the virus is contrary to the professional opinions of the World Health Organization and many research institutions and medical experts, and the efforts and expectations of the international community, including China and Japan, to jointly combat the epidemic, said Zhao.

“Political blindness should not override scientific judgment whereas cooperation is the most powerful weapon for mankind to defeat the epidemic,” he said.

(Compiled by Guo Yameng)