Kudlow, White House Economic Adviser, Says "Disappointed with China's COVID Response"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunbyeol Kim] Larry Kudlow, Chairman of the U.S. White House National Economic Council (NEC), strongly criticized China on the 13th (local time) for its response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), expressing disappointment. He emphasized that China has been transparently disclosing information since COVID-19 and cooperating with the international community.

According to APTN, Kudlow said during a meeting with reporters at the White House that day, "It is very disappointing that China has not accepted our request to send experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with World Health Organization (WHO) personnel."

He said, "About two weeks ago, we announced that we would send the smartest people (to China), but it appears that China did not accept that." He also said, "I thought China's transparency would improve, but it does not seem so."

He continued, "This is not a matter of politics or trade, so it would be good if we knew more," adding, "This virus is under control in the U.S., but I am not sure if it is under control in China." Furthermore, he said, "We thought the number of cases in China was decreasing, but it is being revealed that this may not be the case," and "we are very disappointed with China's response."

Kudlow also responded "there is no doubt" when asked about the impact of COVID-19 on economic uncertainty.

The Chinese government responded to this. At a regular briefing on the 14th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, "Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China has been open and transparent, taking a responsible attitude toward global public health safety and the health of its people, and cooperating with the international community."

He added, "China has an active and open attitude toward cooperating with the U.S." and expressed a welcome for multinational experts, including those from the U.S., participating in the WHO investigation team.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.