Commentary: COVID-19 origins tracing should be science-based, lies-free

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A World Health Organization (WHO) panel has released a preliminary report on COVID-19 origins tracing, claiming that further research is needed to nail down on the origins, including a more detailed analysis of the possibility of a lab leak in Wuhan.

Obviously, the report has been misled by such lies as the "Wuhan lab leak theory" concocted by anti-China forces for political purposes, to which people should be particularly wary of. Origins tracing, a purely scientific undertaking, should be guided by facts, not lies.

In fact, China has set an example in cooperating with and supporting global research on COVID-19 origins tracing. China is by far the only country that has invited more than once WHO expert groups to come into the country to conduct joint SARS-CoV-2 origins study. It is also the only country that has shared research progress multiple times on origins-tracing with WHO. China has shared more data and research findings on SARS-CoV-2 origins study than any other country. It has been dealing with this matter with an open, transparent and responsible attitude.

A China-WHO joint study report released in 2021 has reached an authoritative scientific conclusion based on field studies by experts from many countries, that a lab leak of COVID-19 is "extremely unlikely."

With such a crystal-clear scientific conclusion, anyone who clings to making "presumption of guilt" against China under the pretext of remaining "open" on the issue is at least ignoring facts and distorting the truth, or harbors sinister intention to politicize origins tracing.

For the sake of human health, origins tracing at next stage should be strictly science-based and lies-free, and cover other countries with possible COVID-19 origins on the basis of the scientific conclusions of the China-WHO joint study report.

In particular, in-depth research should be conducted into the United States for scientific evidence, as the country accounts for the highest deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United States has been a terrible bookkeeper of its COVID-19 outbreak and early spreading. The U.S. government has gone so far as to do everything possible to obstruct relevant investigation, further clouding itself in doubts from the international community.

Researchers repeatedly confirmed cases that predated officially registered initial cases and Washington has yet to provide convincing answers to crucial questions such as when exactly the virus first broke out within its borders.

In June, 2021, Vanity Fair revealed that someone within the U.S. State Department had "warned" against an investigation into COVID-19 origins because it would "open a can of worms." Other media reports found that Washington has also suspended the tracing program of the National Institutes of Health and sealed relevant blood samples on the grounds that they were "detrimental to U.S national security."

It's also about time to carry out a thorough investigation of the U.S. notorious track of biological military activities to further advance the research on origins tracing and safeguard the health and safety of people around the world.

Data show that the U.S. Fort Detrick base and several biolabs at the University of North Carolina have long been engaged in coronavirus research and modification. The Fort Detrick base was even shut down due to a serious safety incident. Till today, Washington still owes the international community and the American people a proper explanation.

Beyond its borders, the United States funds and manages more than 300 biological laboratories in around 30 countries, according to the information provided to the Conference of Parties of the Biological Weapons Convention. These labs are generally obscure from the public. Moreover, rare epidemics often occur around its overseas biolabs, posing health hazards to people across the world. However, as always, the United States has been dodging international investigations. Its irresponsible and egregious actions have long triggered protests in many countries and an in-depth investigation is what the world rightly needs.

It is hoped that the United States could respond to the legitimate concerns of the international community over the source of the coronavirus within its borders and take concrete actions to support the research on global COVID-19 origins tracing.