Trump might impose tariff on China for coronavirus damages, likens WHO to Beijing's PR agency

United States President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing tariff on China as a punishment for the coronavirus outbreak. He, however, ruled out considering cancelling US debt obligations to the country.

Several countries including the US and its allies like Germany, Britain and Australia are holding China responsible for the spread of coronavirus. There have been multiple voices in these countries on ways to seek compensation for the losses inflicted by the pandemic.

To this end,Trump said debt cancellation is a "rough game" and may harm the sanctity of the US currency.

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"We can do it with tariffs. We can do it other ways even beyond that without having to play that game. That's a rough game," Trump told reporters in the East Room of the White House.

Meanwhile, Congressman Clay Higgins demanded that China be held accountable for the spread of the virus.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an interview to Fox news asserted the same.

"The cost that has been posed on the United States economy not only monetary, but we've had now more than 50,000 people whose lives have been lost. We've got to get the economy cranked back up, but all of this is a direct result of the fact that this virus came out of China," he said.

'WHO should be ashamed of itself'

Trump also said the World Health Organisation should be "ashamed of" itself, as he likened it to a public relations agency for China.

The Trump Administration has launched a probe into the role of the WHO on coronavirus, and has temporarily suspended the US' financial assistance to it.

"I think that the World Health Organisation should be ashamed of themselves because they are like the public relations agency for China," Trump said.

The United States, he reiterated, pays the WHO almost USD500 million a year and China pays them USD38 million a year.

"Whether it's a lot more, it doesn't matter. They shouldn't be making excuses when people make horrible mistakes, especially mistakes that are causing hundreds of thousands of people around the world to die."

"I think the World Health Organisation should be ashamed of themselves," said the President.