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Diplomats from both China and India said they are aware of complaints alleging that China’s medical supply exports to fight the coronavirus pandemic are “inaccurate” on Wednesday.

Authorities in Rajasthan announced on Tuesday that they were stopping rapid testing for the coronavirus after a medical minister in the state said the rapid test kits are only 5.4 percent accurate.

The spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in India said it had noticed Indian media reports concerning rapid testing kits imported from China. 

The Chinese Embassy said it would maintain close communication with the relevant Indian agency and provide the necessary assistance.

The goods flown to India had undergone a vigorous checkup per an April 10 order by the General Administration of Customs of China.

China intensified quality checkups for exported medical supplies after concerns arose in Western countries that the products were of shoddy quality. Many of the claims were found later to be inaccurate.

Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri revealed on April 18 that 300,000 rapid antibody tests purchased from Guangzhou, capital of South China’s Guangdong Province, had been flown to Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. 

The Indian Embassy to China told the Global Times on Wednesday that it has seen the media reports and also noted the assurance by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi of assistance on all issues related to quality of supplies from Chinese producers.

India has seen an increased surge in domestic cases of COVID-19 recently amid concerns that it might become the next epicenter of the pandemic. It confirmed more than 15,474 cases and 640 deaths as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Global Times