China angry with US for pulling its consulate staff from Shanghai
China has called on the United States to stop "political manipulation" after Washington ordered its non-emergency consulate workers to leave China's largest metropolis of Shanghai, which is under a tight lockdown to contain a COVID-19 surge.
China's Foreign Ministry "lodged solemn representations with the US over its order to evacuate its consulate in Shanghai" on Tuesday.
The US on Monday ordered its non-emergency government workers and their family members to leave Shanghai, over a surge in COVID-19 cases and the Chinese government's restrictive measures. The US State Department described local laws and COVID-19 restrictions as "arbitrary enforcement," particularly in Hong Kong, Jilin Province, and Shanghai.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, however, said in a statement that, "China's epidemic prevention and control policies are scientific and effective."
He said that China "deplores and rejects the US move of politicizing and instrumentalizing the issue of personnel departure."
"The US should immediately stop attacking China's epidemic response policies, stop political manipulation, and stop smearing China," Zhao added.
He said Shanghai's local authorities "are providing as much assistance and convenience as possible to foreign nationals, as long as the policy allows."
Shanghai hosts one of the US's five consulates in China. The city's authorities reported more than 23,000 new infections on Tuesday.
Most of the city's 25 million residents are under strict stay-at-home orders. Local authorities, however, began to partially lift community lockdowns on Monday.
China's zero-COVID strategy, including mass testing, vaccination, and lockdown of cities and provinces, have been largely successful in curbing the disease.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged officials to make all-out efforts in containing the fresh coronavirus outbreak while adhering to its "dynamic-clearance" policy. He has also blasted Washington for making "groundless accusations" about Beijing’s COVID-19 policy.
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