Report refutes 'lab leak' theory

China has actively carried out open and transparent investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 virus and concrete evidence has dismissed the Wuhan laboratory leak theory, according to a white paper released on Wednesday.

Chinese authorities also called for the next phase of origin tracing efforts to focus on the United States, urging the US to stop ignoring international concerns and to promptly share relevant data.

The white paper, released by the State Council Information Office, said that China has dedicated substantial resources into tracing the origin of the virus with global scientists and consistently upheld open, transparent and scientific methods.

The nation has spearheaded research in key fields covering clinical, molecular and environmental epidemiology, and the tracing of animal hosts while closely cooperating with the World Health Organization.

Key findings were released in March 2021 in a report stemming from a 28-day joint study that was carried out in Wuhan, Hubei province, by Chinese and foreign experts dispatched by the WHO.

The report ruled out the possibility of Wuhan being the natural origin of the virus and ascertained that the theory of the virus coming from a laboratory leak in Wuhan is extremely unlikely.

"To date, no findings have contradicted the conclusions of the study. It is fair to say that the study on the origins of SARS-CoV-2 conducted in China has ended," the white paper said.

The white paper emphasized that the US has refused to examine its own failures in handling the pandemic. Instead, it has shifted blame and attempted to politicize origin tracing, which undermined international solidarity in battling the pandemic and safeguarding global health.

Detailing a series of questionable events pointing to suspicious, early COVID-19 cases in the US, the white paper said that COVID-19 may have emerged in the US sooner than the public timeline and sooner than the outbreak in China.

"A thorough and in-depth investigation into the origins of the virus should be conducted in the US," it said.

The white paper comes as US politicians have recently restarted pushing the lab leak theory, smearing and attacking China on its COVID-19 response.

"Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, China always shared antivirus information in an open and transparent way, providing generous and selfless assistance to the global anti-virus fight, winning commendations from the international community," the National Health Commission said in a statement released on Wednesday.

By contrast, the performance of the US in handling the pandemic was poor. "The US government deliberately covered up its domestic epidemic situation, misleading other nations and the WHO in their assessments," it said.

The commission emphasized that sizeable research shows the COVID-19 virus originated overseas and that the next phase of origin tracing should primarily focus on the US, while urging the US to "stop pretending to be deaf and playing dumb" to these concerns.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said during a news conference on Wednesday that the origin of COVID-19 is a scientific question that should be addressed by scientists.

The conclusion that dismisses the lab leak theory as extremely unlikely stems from on-site visits to laboratories and in-depth communications with researchers, and is deemed authoritative and scientific, he said, adding that the conclusion has obtained widespread recognition from scientists and the international community.

wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

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