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China labels U.S. intelligence report on virus origins 'anti-science,' urges U.S. to conduct WHO-led studies
Updated 20:15, 24-Aug-2021
CGTN
COVID-19 origins tracing requires science, not intelligence, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a press briefing, August 24, 2021. /Ministry of Foreign Affairs

COVID-19 origins tracing requires science, not intelligence, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a press briefing, August 24, 2021. /Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The U.S. intelligence report on coronavirus origins is "anti-science," "unreliable" and "contains predetermined conclusions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

"Everyone knows that origins tracing requires science, not intelligence. It is anti-science in itself to trace the origins of the virus by using intelligence agencies," Wang said, urging the U.S. to "revert to the right track" and "stop politicizing the issue."

"Tracing the origins of the virus requires unity, not framing," he added.

Wang said U.S. politicization of the anti-pandemic fight since the initial outbreak has resulted in the highest number of infections and deaths in the country, and added that the American people have paid a heavy price.

"We urge the U.S. to act in the interests of the lives and health of its own people and people around the world, stop politicizing the issue and return to the right track of scientific origins tracing as soon as possible."

Days before, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) updated dashboard showed that the country's first deaths related to COVID-19 dated back to January 2020, weeks earlier than previously officially reported.

Multiple pieces of research also suggest the presence of the virus in the country much earlier than previously known, in some cases even earlier than the first cases reported in China.

Wang said the U.S. has accused China of not being transparent on the issue while remaining evasive about origins tracing on its own land and even obstructing tracing efforts.

According to the U.S. media outlets Palm Beach Post and Miami Herald, the Florida Department of Health posted data on its website relating to 171 local patients who had symptoms or tested positive of COVID-19 in January and February 2020, but the data was later deleted and concealed.

"It's time the Department of Health made transparency a priority again," a Miami Herald editorial urged in June.

What's more, a study by the country's CDC found that of the 7,389 blood samples collected between December 13, 2019 and January 12, 2020, 106 contained COVID-19 antibodies.

However, the tracing project was reportedly halted by senior U.S. government officials and a large number of blood samples were sealed.

China has invited World Health Organization (WHO) experts twice to China for origins tracing studies, and authoritative research results have been jointly published by Chinese and WHO experts, said Wang.

China urges the U.S. side to stop the game of blaming and smearing, and release data relating to early cases, the spokesperson added.

"The U.S. should invite WHO experts to the country to conduct origins tracing research as soon as possible, and give a scientific and fair account to the international community and the U.S. people," he said.

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