Beijing [China], May 3 (ANI): A social media post by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mocking India's COVID-19 crisis has backfired, with its own citizens expressing shock and outrage over China's clumsy attempt to stoke nationalism.

The account mocking India's current COVID-19 situation is linked to the Central Commission for Political and Legal Affairs, a powerful organ of the ruling Communist Party, overseeing the country's courts and law enforcement bodies, reported CNNThe account posted a photo of the Chinese Long March-5B carrier rocket blasting off on the Chinese micro-blogging platform Weibo, alongside a picture of cremation pyres burning at night in India under the watch of people in hazmat suits.

"China lighting a fire versus India lighting a fire," the caption read, accompanied by a hashtag declaring that India's COVID-19 cases had surged past 400,000 a day. The pictures were shared by several other Chinese government accounts.

Many Chinese social media users were shocked by the pictures. "I can't believe this was posted by a government account. Why do you need to use the suffering of others to highlight national pride?" read one top comment.

"How can this be approved (by censors)? It's a complete disrespect of human life," said another user.

The posts were slammed even by Hu Xijin, the Editor in Chief of the Global Times, a state-run newspaper known for its nationalist stance"I don't think it's proper for social media accounts of certain Chinese official institutions or other influential forces to mock India at present," he said.

CNN reported that the post was later removed from Weibo after the online backlash.

This comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered cooperation in dealing with the situation created by COVID-19.

Xi said China is willing to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation with India, and provide support and help to the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also sent "condolences" over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the news agency said.

China's "wolf warrior" diplomats are known to frequently post controversial comments on Twitter, reported CNN. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian last year tweeted a digitally altered image that appeared to show an Australian soldier threatening to slit the throat of an Afghan child, which drew stern condemnation from Australia as "repugnant".

On January 7, the Chinese embassy in the US shared a report by Chinese state media outlet China Daily and wrote: "Study shows that in the process of eradicating extremism, the minds of Uyghur women in Xinjiang were emancipated and gender equality and reproductive health were promoted, making them no longer baby-making machines. They are more confident and independent."The Chinese Embassy's post was later removed by Twitter after it drew ire and calls for removal given the Chinese government's oppressive campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities. (ANI)