China Slams US Intelligence Report on COVID-19 Origins

August 31/2021(ENA) China has slammed the report released by the US intelligence on COVID-19 origins tracing by describing it as “a mendacious report made up for political purposes.”

On August 28, Ma Zhaoxu, Vice Foreign Minister of China, delivered a statement on the release of US intelligence report on COVID-19 origins.

Ma underscored, the US intelligence community has recently compiled a so-called report on the origins of COVID-19, according to a press release sent to ENA by Chines Embassy in Addis Ababa.

He said that the report is a mendacious report made up for political purposes that lacks scientific basis or credibility.

The Chinese side has expressed its firm objection and has made strong representations with the US, the press release added.

Ma said, China has stressed on multiple occasions that origin tracing of COVID-19 is a complex issue of science that should and can only be undertaken by scientists around the world through joint research.

The US, however, disregards science and facts. It is instead obsessed with political manipulation and origins tracing by the intelligence community, Vice Foreign Minister of China stated.

"Without providing any evidence, the US has cooked up one story after another to defame and accuse China. The aim is to use origins tracing to shift blame onto China and spread the political virus,." he added.  

The deployment of the intelligence community in origins tracing is in itself a compelling evidence of the politicization of the issue, the Vice Minister indicated.

Ma stressed, it is sheer nonsense that the US accused China of not being transparent or cooperative on origins tracing.

China attaches great importance to international scientific cooperation on origins tracing, and has taken an active part in such cooperation, he said.

Acting on the principles of science, openness and transparency, China has twice invited WHO experts to China for origins tracing research.

Early this year, a WHO-China joint study team of leading international and Chinese experts conducted a 28-day research in China.

The team released a Joint Report containing authoritative, professional and science-based conclusions, which is a good foundation for international cooperation on origins tracing, according to Ma.

China has been supporting science-based efforts on origins tracing, and will continue to stay actively engaged. That said, China firmly opposes attempts to politicize this issue.

Ma emphasized, it is actually the US that is not being transparent, responsible and cooperative on this issue.

The US has been refusing to respond to the international community’s reasonable doubts on the Fort Detrick biolab and the over 200 overseas bases for biological experiments, trying to cover up the truth and avoid being held responsible.

Ma also noticed, the US attempts to politicize origins tracing have found no support and met widespread opposition from the international community.

Ma reaffirmed, China wants to once again warn the US side that politicizing origins tracing will lead nowhere.

China urged the US to immediately stop doing anything that poisons the atmosphere for international cooperation on origins tracing or undermines global solidarity against the pandemic, and return to the right track of science-based origins tracing and cooperation in the face of the pandemic.