On September 1, 2021, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil Mr. Yang Wanming published on O Estadode S. Paulo, mainstream newspaper of Brazil, a signed article entitled “Origins-Tracing by US Intelligence: A Political Farce in Disregard of Science”. The article exposed the non-scientific and unreliable nature of the trumped-up report on origins-tracing of the US intelligence, the purpose of which was to scapegoat China and avert responsibilities through political manipulations on origins-tracing of the corona-virus. The full article runs as follow:
The so-called research report by US intelligence agencies on origins-tracing of the corona-virus, without any support by solid facts and in total disregard of the authoritative joint expert report, slandered China by trumped-up charges of obstructing international investigation with the attempts to gang up to exert pressure on China. This trumped-up report by US intelligence is a politically-motivated fake report, which is unscientific and unreliable in nature, the purpose of which is to scapegoat China and avert responsibilities by political manipulation.
First of all, the fact that the so-called origins-tracing dominated by intelligence agencies is, by nature, a political manipulation. Origins-tracing is a complex scientific matter, which should be conducted by scientists worldwide through research and cooperation and scientific conclusions should be drawn based on facts and evidence. The US intelligence has a patched track-record, which defended the US invasion into Iraq based on “the evidence of washing powder” and supported US air raids on Syria by fake videos. Using such a report which pieced together “evidence” to prove a pre-drawn conclusion by such an untrustworthy agency is, in itself, hard evidence of politicization of origins-tracing.
Second, the reasons for the politicization of the origins-tracing of the US are questionable. Since the US has not taken effective outbound-border control measures, plus its policies to deport infected illegal immigrants, the pandemic has become much aggravated in many Latin American countries. More and more evidence has emerged that the infection of the corona-virus in at least five US states were earlier than the first reported COVID-19 case in the US. In order to avert its own responsibilities and scapegoat China, the US has refused to respond to reasonable doubts of the international community concerning its bio-lab in Fort Detrick and the patchy safety record of the North Carolina University on corona-virus research. If the US truly believes the possibility of lab leaks, then it should invite WHO experts to conduct investigations in Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina instead of being obsessed with slandering others while avoiding investigations about itself.
Third, since the onslaught of COVID-19, China has attached great importance to and actively participated in science-based cooperation on global origins-tracing. In the spirit of science, openness, and transparency, China has twice invited WHO experts to China for research on origins-tracing. The joint China-WHO research report at the beginning of the year reached authoritative, professional and science-based conclusions, which laid a sound foundation for global cooperation on origins-tracing and was widely recognized by the international community. So far, over 80 countries have clearly expressed their positions on opposing politicizing of origins-tracing in support of the China-WHO joint report. Over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks of over 100 countries and regions have submitted joint statement to the WHO against politicization of origins-tracing. These voices of justice are a strong response to the US attempts to poison the atmosphere of international cooperation and sabotage global solidarity against COVID-19.
The virus is still spreading around the world. Politicization of origins-tracing is doomed to fail. Cooperation against the pandemic is the most pressing task. China will continue to support and actively support science-based origins-tracing and stand opposed to political manipulations aimed at stigmatization of the virus and using origins-tracing as a tool. We urge the US to proceed from the lives and health of people of its own country and those of the world and return to the right path of science-based origins tracking and solidarity against the pandemic.
