China is pushing back against the growing chorus of voices around the world calling for the country to pay compensation for the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Politicians in the United States are “lying through their teeth,” a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Geng Shuang, said at a news briefing on Tuesday.

The spokesman’s comments came one day after President Trump suggested that the United States would seek “substantial” compensation for Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Richard McGregor, a China analyst with the Lowy Institute in Sydney, said the dispute reflects China’s refusal to accept criticism at a time when its rival, the United States, seems weak and continues to struggle with the virus, political division and mass unemployment.