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'Not acceptable': China urges India to not call coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 25, 2020, 09:52 PM IST
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File photo. Photograph:(Reuters)

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'It's not acceptable and detrimental to international cooperation to label the virus and stigmatise China, hope India oppose such a narrow mindset,' said Beijing

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic bilateral conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on efforts carried out by both countries against the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 18,000 people worldwide.

During the conversation, Wang Yi also urged to not describe the coronavirus as "Chinese virus",  saying that it could lead to stigmatisation of China and would be "detrimental to the international cooperation." 

"Wang Yi said it's not acceptable and detrimental to international cooperation to label the virus and stigmatise China, hope India oppose such a narrow mindset. Dr Jaishankar agreed not to label the virus and the international community should send a strong signal of solidarity," the Chinese envoy to India, Sun Weidong said in a tweet on Tuesday evening.

The coronavirus's which started in Wuhan, China in December 2019, has so far affected people in over 200 countries globally, with over 400,000 infections worldwide.  Since the first case emerged from China, the virus has often been referred to as "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus" in media.

However, Chinese government argues that the virus may have originated in Central China but since there is no proof of it, China insists on not calling the coronavirus as "Chinese virus".