China urges U.S. to stop politicizing COVID-19 origins tracing

A COVID-19 testing site is seen on Times Square in New York, the United States, May 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The United States still owes the international community a convincing explanation for the concerns raised by various parties about the origins and handling of the pandemic on its own territory.

GENEVA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the Chinese Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva on Tuesday urged the United States to end its politicization of COVID-19 origins tracing and stop exerting pressure on international organizations.

In response to the groundless remarks made by the U.S. delegation at the ongoing 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), the spokesperson said it is astonishing that the United States -- a country that once announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) -- is now baselessly attacking countries that have consistently stepped up support for the organization. The United States has evidently lost its basic sense of right and wrong. China has always offered selfless support, instead of so-called undue influence, to the WHO, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Photo taken on Jan. 30, 2023 shows logos of the World Health Organization at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

The spokesperson stressed that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has shared information and the genetic sequence of the virus with the international community at the earliest possible time. It has also provided medical supplies and financial assistance to the WHO and 153 countries, including the United States. This reflects China's commitment to safeguarding the common good of all humanity.

China supports scientific origins tracing led by the WHO and has invited WHO expert teams to China multiple times for joint studies. These efforts resulted in the authoritative scientific conclusion that a lab leak of COVID-19 from China is "extremely unlikely," demonstrating China's openness and transparency on the issue, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson pointed out that certain countries, in an attempt to cover up their own poor pandemic response, have resorted to smearing others. Such political manipulation of pandemic issues is disgraceful and doomed to fail. The United States still owes the international community a convincing explanation for the concerns raised by various parties about the origins and handling of the pandemic on its own territory.

China urges the United States to share its early case data with the WHO and be transparent about Fort Detrick and its network of overseas biological laboratories. The United States should stop political manipulation over COVID-19 origins tracing and cease pressuring international organizations, the spokesperson stated.

This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2023 shows China-aided COVID-19 vaccines arriving at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar. (The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar/Handout via Xinhua)