Unscientific and nonsensical US political manipulation of COVID-19 origin tracing gains no support

Tracing the origins of the novel coronavirus is crucial for preventing future pandemics. China has always supported and will continue to take part in science-based origin-tracing efforts. The country is against politicizing the origin-tracing process, or engaging in origin-tracing studies that go against the resolution of the World Health Assembly (WHA) or disregard the World Health Organization (WHO)-China joint study report on the origins of COVID-19.

The so-called work plan on the second phase of origin tracing does not call for an investigation into the US, a country which has continued to cover up dark secrets regarding COVID-19, and it fails to provide explanations regarding questions surrounding the US biological lab at Fort Detrick, which reportedly suffered a leakage incident before the global outbreak of COVID-19, as well as a breakout of pneumonia cases linked to e-cigarettes in Wisconsin, with symptoms that were highly similar to those of COVID-19, not to mention some 200-odd overseas US bio-labs, along with the fact that the US government has been sponsoring coronavirus studies with the University of North Carolina.

The work plan on the second phase of origin tracing prioritizes the “lab leak” theory hyped by the US in an attempt to stigmatize China, and serves the agenda of the US to pass the buck to China for its continued failures in epidemic control and prevention at home.

Previous rumors concerning the Wuhan Institute of Virology have long been smashed. Before Dec. 30, 2019, the institute had not contacted, preserved, or studied the novel coronavirus, nor had it engineered, made or leaked the virus. To date, no staff member or postgraduate student at the institute has been infected with the virus. These facts indicate that the “lab leak” theory is absurd, and the work plan on the second phase of origin tracing, which has been “infected” with the “political virus” spread by the US after it rejoined the WHO, is unacceptable.

The work plan on the second phase of virus origin tracing goes against the resolution of the 73rd WHA. According to the WHA resolution, the formation of the plan for the next stage of origin studies must rely on member countries, and the WHO has to fully consult with its member countries and a consensus must be reached before they devise the work plan.

In addition, the drafting process of the plan must be carried out in an open and transparent manner. The so-called draft plan for the second phase of origin tracing was unilaterally initiated by the WHO Secretariat, which is responsible for facilitating the consultations between WHO member countries so that they could reach an agreement, instead of unilaterally opting to make decisions on its own initiative. The draft plan, which was not drawn up by the WHO member countries themselves as the WHA resolution stipulates, is therefore an absolutely unacceptable approach.

The so-called work plan on the second phase of virus origin tracing tramples on the findings and recommendations of the WHO-China joint study report on the origins of COVID-19. At the beginning of the year, the joint study report developed findings and recommendations that were widely recognized by the international community and scientists. The research results must be respected and the recommendations must be carried out by all relevant parties, including the WHO Secretariat. The second phase should not repeat what has already been conducted during the first phase, especially where conclusive findings were already reached.

The so-called work plan on the second phase of virus origin tracing goes in the opposite direction and is unacceptable because it repeats what has been conducted during the previous phase of virus-tracing, while ignoring studies into the early COVID-19 cases that arose in multiple countries around the world and overlooking COVID-19 transmission in cold chain storage and logistics.

Origin tracing efforts require cooperation rather than discrediting, the truth rather than lies, and respecting science rather than political manipulation, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The next phase of origin tracing should implement the recommendations of the WHO-China joint study report on the basis of the research carried out in the first phase. The search for the origin of new pathogens should be based on science and it should not be used as a tool for finger-pointing or political attacks. These ideas should be implemented in the relevant work of the WHO.

China has always and will continue to support and participate in global origin-tracing cooperation in the spirit of openness, transparency, science and cooperation. The country is acting on and will continue to act on relevant work recommendations in the WHO-China joint study report. The country is firmly opposed to the US engaging in the spread of political viruses by taking advantage of the WHO platform and playing the old trick of political manipulation under the banner of conducting open and transparent scientific investigations.