People's Review Weekly

China objects to the US blame on Covid-19 origin

- By Our Reporter

The spokesman in the Chinese Embassy here has stated that the statement of the Office of the Director of National Intelligen­ce of the United States and the statement by the White House blaming China for holding back internatio­nal investigat­ion on Covid-19 spread as a mendacious report made up for political purposes.

The Embassy spokesman has stated that there is no scientific basis or credibilit­y in it.

"The US has also released a statement slandering and attacking China. The Chinese side hereby expresses its firm objection. It has made strong representa­tions with the US", the Embassy has remarked in a statement released on 30 August.

"The origin-tracing is a matter of science; it should and can only be left to scientists, not intelligen­ce experts. The US, however, disregards science and facts. It is instead obsessed with political manipulati­on and origins tracing by the intelligen­ce community", the Embassy has clarified. "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. The deployment of the intelligen­ce community in origins tracing is in itself compelling evidence of the politiciza­tion of the issue. Those activities will only interfere in and undermine the global efforts of origins tracing and cooperatio­n on pandemic response".

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken an open, transparen­t and responsibl­e attitude. We have released informatio­n, shared the genome sequencing of the virus, and carried out internatio­nal cooperatio­n to fight the disease, all done at the earliest possible time. China’s position on global origin-tracing is consistent and clear".

"This is a matter of science. China attaches great importance to internatio­nal scientific cooperatio­n on origins tracing and has taken an active part in such cooperatio­n. We are the first to cooperate with the WHO on global origintrac­ing, and we have invited WHO experts to conduct the investigat­ions twice in China, the openness and transparen­cy China has displayed, has won full recognitio­n from internatio­nal experts. WHO released a Joint Report containing authoritat­ive, profession­al and sciencebas­ed conclusion­s on March 30, 2021. This is a good foundation for internatio­nal cooperatio­n on origins tracing".

"To politicize origins tracing will find no support. More than 80 countries including Nepal have written to the WHO Director-General, issued statements, or sent diplomatic notes to voice their objection to the politiciza­tion attempts and call for the Joint Report by the WHO-China joint study team to be upheld. Over 300 political parties, social organizati­ons and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretaria­t on opposing politiciza­tion of origin-tracing. Over 25 million Chinese netizens have signed an open letter asking for an inquiry into the Fort Detrick base. These are people's calls for justice. We have been supporting science-based efforts on origins tracing and will continue to stay actively engaged. But we firmly oppose attempts to politicize this issue".

"Since the outbreak of the

COVID-19 pandemic, China and Nepal have always helped and supported each other, setting a good example of internatio­nal cooperatio­n in the fight against the pandemic. China has delivered more than 7.4 million doses of vaccines to Nepal through grant assistance or commercial purchase, and this makes China the No.1 supplier of vaccines to Nepal up to now. China thanks Nepal for always adhering to an objective and fair position and giving China valuable support on the issue of origin-tracing. China will continue to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperatio­n with Nepal, provide more vaccines to Nepal within its capacity, and work together with Nepal to resist the headwind of politiciza­tion of origintrac­ing and safeguard the sound atmosphere of global anti-epidemic cooperatio­n" the Embassy has remarked.

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