China opposes EU's demand for COVID-19 origin probe; slams politicisation of issue

Amid increasing demands for another probe into COVID-19 origin, China has cried foul and has opposed European Union's (EU) push for the investigation. The spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU has said that the country opposes any attempts to manipulate the study of COVID-19 origin under the garb of open and transparent scientific study. Apart from EU, several other countries, mainly the United States have demanded another probe regarding the COVID-19 origin.

China opposes EU push for COVID-19 origins study

China's response comes after a joint statement was issued by the EU, the United States, Australia, and Japan over the second phase of the study of the COVID-19 origin. The Chinese spokesperson opposed the politicisation and asserted that it has created obstacles for countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese spokesperson also maintained that the country has always taken a scientific, professional, serious, and responsible attitude in tracing the origins of the virus. He added that China has also invited WHO experts twice for tracing the virus origin. 

 "These objective and rational voices should be respected and valued," said the spokesperson.

"We urge relevant parties to stop politicising the issue of origins tracing, stop using this issue to scapegoat others and shirk responsibility, and stop deliberately disrupting international cooperation on global origins tracing," said the spokesperson.

"They should adopt a truly responsible and scientific attitude, and work with the international community to make due contributions to defeating the virus and protecting people's health and well-being," the spokesperson added. 

This comes after nearly 60 countries demanding WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to ensure that the origins study should be conducted. These countries have argued that origins study is a matter of science and should be studied around the world by scientists. In addition, they have also called for a WHO-China joint study. 

China's tussle with US over COVID-19

Relations between Washington and Beijing have been fractious and more turbulent since the start of COVID-19. Former US President Donald Trump had also hardened his stance on China. The current Biden administration has also called for yet another COVID-19 origin probe, suggesting that the virus leaked from the labs in Wuhan. However, China has opposed the claims and instead demanded that WHO experts should go to Fort Detrick in the United States. 

“If labs are to be investigated, then the WHO experts should go to Fort Detrick.” said  Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday

Zhao's remarks come as a retaliation to the World Health Organization seeking more clarity regarding the origin of COVID-19 that was first discovered in China in 2019, where many have stated that the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab. However, Beijing has repeatedly contested the claims and is now pushing for an WHO investigation in American labs.  

With ANI inputs