In the face of the challenge posed by COVID-19, the US should stop immediately its defamation of China and facilitate bilateral cooperation to tackle the pandemic, Vice-Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said.

Zheng made the remark at an online meeting on Thursday with US congresspeople, including Ami Bera, chair of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation under the House Foreign Affairs Committee, according to a statement issued on Sunday.

China has adopted the most comprehensive, strictest and most thorough measures to prevent and control the disease, Zheng said, adding that it has always remained open and transparent, briefed the international community in time and done its best to provide humanitarian aid to other countries.

China hopes sincerely the US will overcome COVID-19 soon and stands ready to cooperate with the US to control the disease, but firmly opposes the US stigmatizing and deflecting blame to it, Zheng said.