China urges U.S. to immediately work with WHO on COVID-19 origin tracing

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(Xinhua) — China on Thursday urged the United States to immediately work with the World Health Organization (WHO) on COVID-19 origin tracing in a science-based way like China did.

Since the United States has repeatedly asked China to be part of a comprehensive, transparent and evidence-based international investigation, the United States should likewise fully respond to the concerns of the international community, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing.

He made the remarks in response to a question related to U.S. President Joe Biden’s call for a U.S.-based probe into the origins of COVID-19. On Wednesday, Biden gave U.S. intelligence agencies 90 days to report on whether the virus originated from an animal source or from a laboratory accident, calling on China to cooperate with international investigations.

Zhao said a research report of the joint WHO-China study had presented authoritative, formal and scientific conclusions, which stressed it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus was leaked from a Chinese laboratory.

The international expert team has made positive comments on China’s open and transparent attitude on many occasions, he added.

However, some people in the United States have repeatedly called for a reinvestigation of China, ignoring the facts and science, as well as the questions surrounding their own traceability and their tragic failure in the COVID-19 fight, Zhao said.

This fully shows that the U.S. side doesn’t care about the facts or the truth at all, and is not interested in serious scientific origin tracing, he added.

“Instead, they want to use the epidemic to stigmatise and engage in political manipulation, and to shift the blame,” Zhao said. EnditemRecord from the Regular Press Conference of Foreign Ministry, China on 27th May:

NPR: US President Biden yesterday ordered an intelligence report to look into whether the novel coronavirus began from an infected animal or potentially from a Chinese laboratory. Do you have any comment about this new report commission?

Zhao Lijian: I note relevant reports.

I also noticed that President Biden said that “the United States will keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation”. Yesterday I shared China’s efforts in support of WHO’s global study of the origins of COVID-19. On the China lab leak hypothesis, the joint WHO-China study team report clearly states that “a laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely”. This is an authoratative and official conclusion based on science. International experts on the joint team spoke highly of China’s openness and transparency on different occasions.

However, some in the US, turning a blind eye to facts, science, the questionable study of origins and botched response at home, kept clamoring for additional investigation in China. This shows that they don’t care about facts or truth and have zero interest in a serious science-based study of origins. Their one aim is to use the pandemic to pursue stigmatization and political manipulation to shift the blame. They are being disrespectful to science, irresponsible to people’s lives, and counter-productive to concerted global efforts to fight the virus. With 33 million confirmed cases and 600,000 deaths from COVID-19, both the highest in the world, the US, instead of examining its own behavior, attempted to scapegoat China. What are they up to? Can they sleep at night with a troubled conscience?

What secrets are hidden in the suspicion-shrouded Fort Detrick and the over 200 US bio-labs all over the world? In July 2019, there were reports on the unexplained outbreaks of respiratory disease in northern Virginia and on the subsequent EVALI outbreaks in Wisconsin. What’s hidden there? When will the US release detailed data and information on relevant cases? It owes an explanation to the world.

The US keeps saying that it wants “China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation”. Then we ask it to follow China’s example and immediately start science-based cooperation with WHO on study of origins, conduct a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation in the US, fully respond to international concerns, and contribute to mankind’s early victory over the pandemic and better preparedness in the face of future public health emergencies.

I would like to stress one final point. The motive and purpose of the US-driven “investigation” relying on its intelligence apparatus is crystal clear. In fact, US intelligence has a notorious track record, as the world has learned a long time ago. Its masterpieces include the test tube of laundry powder which was cited as evidence for weapons of mass destruction and the staged “White Helmets” video. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo even boasted, “I was the CIA director, we lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.” How can anyone trust the findings from an “investigation” conducted by such an intelligence organ with no credibility to speak of?

Bloomberg: One way for the virus controversy over its origins to be cleared that would be for China to provide all of the data about the coronavirus that scientists around the world want. I’m not speaking about the US here, but scientists around the world. Will China consider this option? If not, why not? 

Zhao Lijian: As we repeatedly stated, from January 14 to February 10 this year, China responded to the request of the international experts on the joint mission in an open, transparent and cooperative manner by arranging field visits to different biosafety laboratories, including Wuhan Institute of Virology, and holding in-depth, candid and science-based discussions with experts from relevant laboratories. The experts went to every place they asked to see, and learned in detail of lab management, work specification and latest progress on virus research.

China has set a good example for the global origin-tracing effort. Now the question is whether the US has the confidence and willingness to invite international experts to Fort Detrick, as well as its more than 200 bio-labs all over the world. We hope that the US will follow China’s example, and cooperate with WHO in origin-tracing study with a science-based attitude so as to respond to the concerns of the international community.  

Sri Lanka China Journalists Forum
Sri Lanka China Journalists Forum
Sri Lanka China Journalists' Forum was established in May 2001 as the Sri Lanka - China Young Journalists' Forum and was in force as a main association that promotes mutual understanding between Sri Lanka and China.

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