US urges China’s 'full transparency' on COVID-19

ANKARA U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo urged China to share coronavirus information transparently Wednesday during a telephone call with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi. "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China," agency spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "The Secretary stressed the need for full transparency and information sharing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent future outbreaks." "He also noted the aid the American people delivered to the people of China in January – and continue to offer – and the high importance we attach to China’s facilitation of medical supply exports to meet critical demand in the United States," Ortagus added. The two sides confirmed their commitment to defeat the pandemic and restore global health and prosperity. After originating in Wuhan, China last December, the virus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, with the U.S. now being the worst-hit country. Ground zero of the virus reported 3,346 deaths and more than 83,500 cases as of Wednesday, but those figures raise questions in and outside China. Recently, according to the Johns Hopkins University data, daily fatalities remain in the single digits in China and it recorded the most recoveries from the epidemic with more than 78,300. Meanwhile, the U.S. has the highest number of confirmed cases and fatalities worldwide, with nearly 610,000 and nearly 27,000 deaths. In all, more than 50,000 have recovered from the disease.