China refutes U.S. accusation of "xenophobia" in treatment of Africans

Senior officials from Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Harare City Council participate in the China-Africa Video Conference on COVID-19 in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 18, 2020. Africans have hailed China's efforts and measures taken to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, expressing their keen interest to learn its experience as the African continent reported more and more confirmed cases. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday refuted the U.S. accusation that the Chinese province of Guangdong has taken discriminatory practices toward Africans in the process of epidemic prevention and control, and said the United States was provoking confrontation, which was not only immoral but also irresponsible.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a news briefing when answering a question regarding the accusation from a U.S. State Department spokesperson.