Blinken cites need for all countries including China to share COVID information

3:47 pm Thursday, December 22nd, 2022

By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday emphasized the need for all countries, including China, to share information on their experiences with COVID-19, at a time when some experts have started raising questions about Beijing’s official hospitalization and casualty figures.

Speaking at a news conference at the State Department, Blinken said Washington was ready to help all countries on COVID, but said Beijing has not asked for help from the United States.

“It’s also very important for all countries, including China to focus on people getting vaccinated, making testing and treatment available, and importantly, sharing information with the world about what they’re experiencing,” Blinken said.

“Again, because it has implications not just for China, but for the entire world. So we would like to see that happen.”

He declined to say what specific help, if any, Washington has recently offered to Beijing, but said the United States was ready to continue to support people around the world including China.

“China has not asked to date for that help,” he added.

After widespread protests against strict mitigation measures, China this month began dismantling its “zero-COVID” regime, which had taken a great financial and psychological toll on its 1.4 billion people.

On Wednesday, China reported no new COVID deaths for a second consecutive day, even as funeral parlor workers say demand for their services has increased sharply over the past week. Authorities – who have narrowed the criteria for COVID deaths, prompting criticism from many disease experts – confirmed 389,306 cases with symptoms.

The World Health Organization has received no data from China on new COVID-19 hospitalizations since Beijing lifted its zero-COVID policy, adding to speculation over the transparency of its figures.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Susan Heavey and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Leslie Adler)