Switzerland ask Chinese media to pull quotes from 'fake' citizen

The press and social media comments attributed to a biologist identified as Wilson Edwards took aim at alleged US pressure on researchers amid the pandemic. Chinese authorities and state media outlets have led an aggressive pushback against criticism abroad of China's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Geneva: Several Chinese newspaper websites have removed comments about the coronavirus pandemic that were wrongly presented as coming from a Swiss biologist who does not appear to exist, Switzerland's foreign ministry said Wednesday. The press and social media comments attributed to a biologist identified as Wilson Edwards took aim at alleged US pressure on researchers amid the pandemic. Chinese authorities and state media outlets have led an aggressive pushback against criticism abroad of China's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Swiss Embassy in Beijing highlighted its suspicions about the quoted scientist on Tuesday with a Twitter post, "Looking for Wilson Edwards, alleged (Swiss) biologist, cited in press and social media in China over the last several days." "If you exist, we would like to meet you!," the embassy tweeted.