China has expressed discontent with Washington's stance on Beijing's alleged involvement in the COVID-19 outbreak and is considering countersanctions against US individuals, orgzations and officials, the Chinese Global Times newspaper reported on Thursday.
On Tuesday, several US senators introduced legislation authorizing President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on China if it fails to cooperate and provide a full accounting of the events leading to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
China's Foreign Ministry expressed its "resolute protest" against the initiative and blamed the senators for neglecting facts and shifting responsibility for their own failures.
According to the media outlet, at least four US congressmen and two orgzations will be included in Beijing's sanctions list.
Missouri's attorney general Eric Schmitt, who filed a lawsuit against China, accusing the country of spreading the coronavirus pandemic, is among the officials to be added to the list.
The US senators have previously said that the measure required Trump to provide a certification to Congress within 60 days that China has shared a full and complete accounting to any COVID-19-related investigation led by the United States, its allies or the United Nations agencies, including the World Health Orgzation.
The COVID-19 pandemic originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, prompting some in the US administration, including Trump and State Secretary Mike Pompeo, to claim it came from a state laboratory located there. (Sputnik/)
( With inputs from ANI )