Trump Asks Reporter If She’s Working For Chinese Government After Pro-Beijing Questions

President Donald Trump pressed a reporter on Monday about whether she was working for the Chinese government after she asked a question about medical supplies that Beijing has provided the United States.

The reporter, who said she was with Phoenix TV, a Hong Kong-based outlet sympathetic to Beijing, began her question by noting that the Chinese government and companies like Huawei and Alibaba have donated medical supplies and equipment to the U.S. to handle coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a statement more than a question,” Trump said after the reporter finished listing off the aid.

Trump then went on a riff about a massive trade deficit between the U.S. and China that he said he has addressed during his administration.

The reporter interjected to ask Trump, “Are you cooperating with China?”

Trump shot back: “Who are your working for, China?”

“Do you work for China, or are you with a newspaper? Who are you with?” he continued.

The reporter said that she works for Phoenix TV.

“Who owns that, China? Is it owned by China? Is it owned by the state?” Trump pressed.

“It’s a private company,” the reporter said. While Phoenix TV is not wholly owned by the Chinese government, its content is widely considered to be sympathetic to Beijing.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/04/06/trump-china-phoenix-tv-reporter-hong-kong/

=Macron States Readiness to Continue Humanitarian Cooperation With Iran

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, stated the readiness of France and European partners to continue their humanitarian cooperation with Iran, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

"The President of the Republic had a meeting today with the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He expressed solidarity with the Iranian people, severely affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic", it said.

"He recalled that France and its European partners had delivered medical equipment to Iran and were ready to continue humanitarian cooperation", the Elysee Palace said.

Macron also said he hoped Iran would return to compliance with its nuclear obligations and refrain from taking further measures out of line with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran is one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19 and has been struggling to slow the outbreak, a task made more difficult as the nation is under severe trade sanctions by the Trump administration. Tehran, along with many world officials and organisations, has repeatedly called on Washington to ease its unilateral economic sanctions to help Iran tackle the spread of the pandemic.

Russia and China, along with other nations, have consistently called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to lift the sanctions, and have sent humanitarian aid and medical professionals to Iran in a bid to help the coronavirus-hit country.

As of Monday, Iran has seen 136 new coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's overall death toll to 3,739, along with 60,500 confirmed infection cases, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.

https://sputniknews.com/europe/202004071078862047-macron-states-readiness-to-continue-humanitarian-cooperation-with-iran/