China denies that US diplomats required to take anal swab tests for COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian attends a news conference in Beijing, China September 10, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

BEIJING — China’s foreign ministry on Thursday denied that US diplomats in the country were asked to take anal swabs for COVID-19, following media reports that some US diplomats had complained about the procedure.

US media outlet Vice on Wednesday cited a US State Department official as saying that the test was given in error and that China had said it would stop using the swabs for testing of US diplomats.

“To my knowledge … China has never required US diplomatic staff stationed in China to conduct anal swab tests,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing on Thursday.