China lodges serious protest over US COVID-19 origins tracing report

China has made serious protests to the United States over the COVID-19 origins tracing report submitted by the US intelligence community to US President Joe Biden, according to Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

When delivering a statement issued on Saturday, the Chinese diplomat said the US has been obsessed in political manipulation and its intelligence-based origins tracing, and it disregards science and facts, he said.

The motive is "to scapegoat China and spread political virus", he said, adding that mobilizing the intelligence agencies to work on tracing itself is another ironclad proof the US is politicizing the tracing issue.

Washington's claim that China has not been transparent or cooperative in tracing is sheer fabrication, the Chinese official said.

He noted China has twice invited experts from the World Health Organization to visit China and embark on origins tracing studies.

In contrast, Washington has displayed its lack of transparency, its absence of a collaborative gesture and its irresponsible attitude toward the tracing issue, Ma said.

So far, Washington has failed to respond to global concerns and urges a complete investigation of over 200 US biolabs located across the globe, he said.

By doing so, the US "attempts to cover up facts and shirk away from its responsibilities", and it should "face up to the global community with a clear response", he added.

The US campaign for politicizing the tracing issue has been unpopular and has drawn widespread criticism around the world, he added.

"Justice will prevail, and injustice is doomed to fail," Ma said, adding Washington should "immediately cease to poison the atmosphere for global cooperation on tracing, stop undermining the global joint COVID-19 response", and get back to science-based tracing and cooperation-driven COVID-19 response.