Photo: Xinhua
Those people who are clamoring for "accountability and compensation" from a victim of COVID-19 and fabricating "evidence" for frivolous lawsuits are trampling on the international rule of law and betraying human conscience, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.
"Their action does not square with facts, stand up to reason or have any legal foundation," Wang said at the press conference of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, in response to a question about some Western politicians and entities pushing for lawsuits against China due to losses resulting from COVID-19.
He noted that China, like other countries, has also been a victim of the coronavirus. In the face of the grim situation, China has taken decisive measures, cutting off the spread of the virus in the shortest time and effectively prevented the rapid spread of the epidemic. "We paid a huge price for this and took a heavy sacrifice," he said.
In the face of the unknown virus, China was the first to report the epidemic outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO) and shared information with relevant countries and regions in a timely manner. China has also been the first to release the virus gene sequence and shared prevention and treatment experience with all countries without reservation, Wang pointed out.
"China's record of COVID-19 response is there for the world to see, with a clear timeline and solid data that will stand the test of time and history," he said.
"Those unwarranted lawsuits against China over the COVID-19 have zero basis for fact, law or international precedence. These attempts are completely shoddy products," Wang said.
"Today's China is no longer the country it was a century ago, and the world has also changed a lot since then. If [any country] wants to infringe on China's sovereignty and dignity by abuse of litigation and extort the fruits of the hard work of the Chinese people, I am afraid it will be a daydream, and bring disgrace to themselves," the foreign minister said.
