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WORLD NEWS Monday 8 June 2020
China defends its coronavirus response in new report

By KEN MORITSUGU repair its relations with the
Associated Press rest of the world, Vice For-
BEIJING (AP) — Senior Chi- eign Minister Ma Zhaoxu
nese officials released a said that cooperation over
lengthy report Sunday on the pandemic had im-
the nation's response to proved ties with most other
the coronavirus pandemic, countries. Without naming
defending their govern- the U.S., he said: "Certain
ment's actions and saying countries go against the
that China had provided tide of history. To disguise
information in a timely and their inadequate response
transparent manner. to COVID-19, they insanely
China "wasted no time" in smeared and slandered
sharing information such as China ... . In response to
the genome sequence for such scapegoating prac-
the new virus with the World tice, China will certainly
Health Organization as well fight back."
as relevant countries and The report, which ran 66
regional organizations, ac- pages in the English version,
cording to the report. lauded China's success in
An Associated Press inves- reducing the daily increase
tigation found that govern- in new cases to single dig-
ment labs sat on releasing its within about two months
the genetic map of the vi- Xu Lin, Vice head of the Publicity Department of Communist Party shows a copy of the white paper and the "decisive victory ...
rus for more than a week in on fighting COVID-19 China in action during a press conference at the State Council Information in the battle to defend Hu-
Office in Beijing, Sunday, June 7, 2020.
January, delaying its iden- Associated Press bei Province and its capi-
tification in a third country tal city of Wuhan" in about
and the sharing of informa- it took time to gather evi- made an important con- China's Center for Disease three months.
tion needed to develop dence and figure out the tribution to the prevention Control and Prevention Wuhan, where the first cas-
tests, drugs and a vaccine. characteristics of the new and control of the epidem- briefed the head of the U.S. es of the virus were detect-
National Health Commis- virus. ic around the world." CDC on Jan. 4. ed late last year, was the
sion Chairman Ma Xiaowei "The Chinese government He ticked off a series of U.S. officials have been hardest-hit part of China
did not address the specif- did not delay or cover up government actions from critical of China's early re- in the outbreak. The city
ic findings in the AP report, anything," he said. "Instead, a detailed timeline in the sponse, adding to a dete- and soon after much of Hu-
but said it "seriously goes we have immediately re- government report. The rioration of U.S.-China rela- bei province were locked
against the facts." He add- ported virus data and rel- timeline says that China tions over trade and tech- down for 2 to 2 1/2 months
ed that there were many evant information about began updating the WHO nology and pro-democra- to stop the spread of the
unknowns in the early stage the epidemic to the inter- on a regular basis on Jan. cy protests in Hong Kong. virus to the rest of the coun-
of the outbreak and that national community and 3 and that the head of Asked how China would try. .q

UN says ‘encouraged’ by Libyan calls to resume peace talks

By SAMY MAGDY The U.N. said more than group monitoring the Liby-
The Associated Press 16,000 Libyans were dis- an war, said Turkish drone
CAIRO (AP) — The United placed in recent days by strikes by Tripoli-allied forc-
Nations on Sunday said it the latest bout of fighting in es hit vehicles carrying flee-
was encouraged by calls the capital and the town of ing residents of the town
to resume talks on ending Tarhouna, which lies 72 kilo- of Tarhouna on Saturday,
the conflict in Libya, a day meters (45 miles) southeast. killing at least 10 civilians
after Egypt announced a Oil-rich Libya has been in including two children and
unilateral peace initiative turmoil since 2011 when a wounding another.
supported by the eastern civil war toppled longtime A spokesman for the Trip-
Libyan camp. dictator Moammar Gad- oli-allied forces did not im-
The U.N. support mission in hafi, who was later killed. mediately respond to calls
Libya said the fighting over Last year, the commander seeking comment.
the capital, Tripoli, for more of the eastern Libyan forc- Egypt's President Abdel On this Nov. 19, 2019, file photo, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah
than a year "has proven, es, Khalifa Hifter, launched Fattah el-Sissi on Saturday al-Sisi speaks at the "G20 Investment Summit - German Business
and the CwA Countries 2019" on the sidelines of a Compact with
beyond any doubt, that a campaign to capture announced his initiative Africa (CwA) in Berlin, Germany.
any war among Libyans is a Tripoli from the U.N.-sup- to end the civil war, say- Associated Press
losing war." ported but weak govern- ing the road map includes
The statement urged Lib- ment there. After months a cease-fire starting Mon- Sunday with the Egyptian government in Tripoli or its
yan parties to "engage of stalemate, the clashes day and is meant to pave president. Conte's office foreign backers.
swiftly and constructively" intensified as foreign back- the way for elections in the said the conversation cen- Nevertheless, the U.N. sup-
in the U.N.-brokered military ers of both sides increas- North African country. tered on "regional stability, port mission in Libya said it
talks aimed at reaching a ingly intervened. Egypt's Hifter is backed by Egypt, with particular attention to was encouraged by the
lasting cease-fire agree- initiative to end the fighting the United Arab Emirates the need for a rapid cease- recent calls to resume talks.
ment, "accompanied by came on the heels of ma- and Russia. The Tripoli-allied fire and a return to the ne- "The Mission, as ever, stands
firm implementation of and jor losses by Hifter's forces militias are aided by Turkey, gotiating table in Libya." ready to convene a fully
respect for the recently re- in western Libya in recent Qatar and Italy. There was no comment on inclusive Libyan-led and
newed U.N. Arms Embargo weeks. Libyan Crimes Italian Premier Giuseppe the Egyptian initiative from Libyan-owned political pro-
on Libya." Watch, a U.K.-based rights Conte spoke by phone either the U.N.-supported cess," it said.q