US accuses China of using Floyd death for propaganda

WASHINGTON: The United States on Saturday accused China of using the unrest triggered by the death of George Floyd in police custody to justify denying its own people basic human rights.

“As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the Party´s lust for power,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. “This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone,” Pompeo added.

China has repeatedly criticized the US over the Floyd case but it was not immediately clear which of its comments Pompeo was referring to. Beijing has long been infuriated by criticism from Western capitals, especially Washington, over its handling of the pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong last year. And as unrest erupted across the United States over racial inequality and police brutality after the May 25 death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, Chinese government spokespeople and official media launched broadsides against American authorities.