China has slammed the United States for telling its consulate staff to depart from the city of Shanghai and has accused officials of “weaponizing” the locked-down city’s attempt to contain the recent COVID-19 outbreak.

The US State Department “ordered” the departure of non-emergency employees and their family members from the heavily populated city of Shanghai because of “a surge in Covid-19 cases and the impact of restrictions related to (China’s) response,” according to a statement issued on the US State Department’s website on Monday.

The statement comes days after the State Department permitted the “voluntary departure” of staff from Shanghai. A China travel advisory by the US State Department also informs American citizens to “reconsider travel” to all parts of China by citing strict containment measures by the country including “the risk of parents and children being separated.”

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Responding to the statement, China’s Foreign Ministry told the United States that it “firmly opposes” the consulate order, ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday during a news briefing.

“We express strong dissatisfaction with the politicization and weaponization of evacuations by the US,” Zhao said while emphasizing that the United States was “smearing China.”

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Defending China, Zhao said that his country’s policies of control and prevention were “scientific and effective,” adding that the government had “every confidence in bringing the new wave of Covid-19 under control” in spite of skyrocketing case figures. 

Shanghai, home to 25 million people, is currently experiencing its worst outbreak. To curb the contagion, Chinese authorities have imposed stringent lockdowns and restrictions that have left residents with no food and medical care or assistance. 

On Monday, the city reported 26,000 new cases of the coronavirus, according to China’s National Health Commission (NHC).