Bad to worse: A tit-for-tat timeline of deteriorating U.S.-China relations

<p>Even before a global pandemic that's infected over 1M in the U.S. alone and killed over 250,000 worldwide, U.S. relations with China haven't been great. But it's been going down hill after COVID-19 was first reported by Chinese authorities to the World Health Organization.</p><p>President Donald Trump has blamed Beijing for a lack of transparency over the true extent of the outbreak in China — where cases were first reported. In response, Beijing has suggested that Washington might be the real source of the global pandemic.</p><p>That kindled a ever-increasing aggressive rhetoric between Trump administration and the Beijing government that's expected to have far reaching implications.</p><p>Here's a time of of some of the back and and forth and finger pointing that's gone on over the months.</p><p>Dec. 31, 2019: COVID-19 is first reported by Chinese authorities to the World Health Organization.</p><p>Jan. 22, 2020: Trump says the U.S. and China will be “closer” after a recently-signed trade deal and praises President Xi as “a man who truly loves his country. Much more to come!”</p><p>Jan 24, 2020: Trump applauds China's efforts to contain the virus, saying the U.S. “greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency.”</p><p>Jan. 28, 2020: Trump offers to send a CDC team to help with the public health response to coronavirus.</p><p>Jan. 30, 2020: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the “Chinese Communist Party presents the central threat of our times."</p><p>Jan. 31, 2020: Trump bars entry of all foreign nationals who had been in China in the 14 days prior from entering the U.S.</p><p>Feb. 3, 2020: China says the U.S. “inappropriately overreacted” to the coronavirus and disputes the Trump administration’s claim that it offered assistance.</p><p>Feb. 27, 2020: A prominent Chinese doctor says that “the coronavirus first appeared in China but may not have originated in China.”</p><p>March 16, 2020: Trump and senior members of his administration begin branding the outbreak as the result of a "Chinese virus."</p><p>March 26, 2020: Chinese state-run media cite an American conspiracy theorist to push claims that coronavirus was brought to China by a U.S. military athlete.</p><p>March 26, 2020: Trump raises concerns about China’s coronavirus statistics, saying Beijing was reporting seemed "a little bit on the light side."</p><p>March 27, 2020: Trump says Beijing and the U.S. are working together to fight the coronavirus and that there is “Much respect!” He says “China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus.”</p><p>Apr. 2, 2020: Beijing says comments by U.S. politicians are 'shameless and morally repulsive' after skepticism over China’s virus figures.</p><p>April 14, 2020: Trump halts funding for the WHO over the organization’s response to the coronavirus outbreak after the president suggests the WHO "pushed China's misinformation about the virus.” </p><p>April 15, 2020: China responds, saying it “will as always support the WHO in playing an important role in international public health and global anti-epidemic response.”</p><p>April 18, 2020: Trump warns China that it should face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible” for the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>May 1, 2020: Trump says he's seen evidence that suggests coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab.</p><p>May 3, 2020: Pompeo reiterated that there is “enormous evidence” the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Chinese lab.</p>