China's National Health Commission (NHC) has urged investigations related to the origin of the Corona virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic to be expanded to various countries, including the United States (US). This statement was made in response to US intelligence reports that were considered unconvincing.
"It is disconcerting that the US government has mobilized its intelligence apparatus, instead of professional agencies, to investigate the origins of the novel coronavirus," said NHC Deputy Minister Zeng Yixin, quoted by the Global Times, Wednesday (1/9/2021).
He said tracing the origins of COVID-19 was a scientific work. Therefore, the Chinese government has always maintained that the work should be done in a scientific way, and China is opposed to politicizing it.
The US report on the origins of COVID-19, prepared by the US intelligence team and released in part last Friday (13/8), says that the US intelligence community remains divided over the possible origins of COVID-19.
NHC Deputy Minister Zeng Yixin NHC Deputy Minister Zeng Yixin requested that the investigation of the origin of the Corona virus be expanded to various countries. Photo: Global Times
Zeng reiterated that upholding the principles of openness, transparency, knowledge and cooperation are indispensable. He also reminded that China had been cooperative and fully co-operated with the WHO's high-level experts during their trip to Wuhan earlier this year.
"Experts go wherever they want to visit and meet whoever they want to meet. The released joint WHO-China report outlines some of the possible origins of COVID-19, and WHO experts think the lab leak theory is unlikely." said Zeng.
According to Zeng, in order to facilitate the investigation of the origin of the Corona virus in the next stage, Chinese experts also submitted a proposal to WHO experts in July this year.
"Investigating the origin of the Corona virus is a complex scientific work, which should only be carried out by scientists around the world. The US must realize that the Corona virus is the common enemy of mankind, and must treat the investigation of the origins as a scientific matter. Scientists should be encouraged to cooperate, and trace the origin of the Corona virus in various countries, including the US," he said.