US-China Clash At UN Session: Trump Urges China To Be Responsible For Spreading COVID-19

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has become an arena for conflict between the United States (US) and China. US President Donald Trump holds China accountable for "spreading" COVID-19 to the world, while China denies this by saying Trump lied and misused the UN platform to provoke an international forum.

In his speech at the United Nations, Trump bombarded China with swooping statements. As reported by Reuters Trump accused China of allowing people to leave the country at the beginning of the outbreak to infect the world.

"We have to hold accountable the nation that released this epidemic to the world, China," Trump said in remarks delivered virtually to the UN General Assembly. "The Chinese government, and the WHO, have mistakenly stated that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission," he said.

Trump also asked the United Nations to press China because of the calamity of the spread of the new corona virus. "The UN must hold China accountable for their actions," Trump said.

In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a peaceful speech. He called for increased cooperation in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that his country had no intention of going to war. "Either cold war or hot war with any country," said Jinping.

Xi Jinping delivered a speech that appeared to be an implicit rebuke to Trump. He called for a global response to COVID-19 and a leading role for WHO.

"We have to increase solidarity and get through this together," said Xi Jinping. "We must follow the guidance of science, give our full role to lead the WHO and launch a joint international response. Any attempt to politicize the problem, or stigmatize it, must be rejected." he snapped.

Meanwhile China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun rejected Trump's accusations against China. Jun said that Trump's accusations were baseless. "A lie that is repeated a thousand times is still a lie," he said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the world was "moving in a very dangerous direction" with US-China tensions. Guterres warned against a new cold war.

"We must do everything we can to avoid a new Cold War," he said. "Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies are splitting the world in the Big Fracture," said Guterres.

“The risk of technological and economic gaps is bound to turn into a geo-strategic and military split. We must avoid this at all costs, "said Guterres.