In the thick of Covid pandemic, the United States told leaders of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom that there was "high likelihood" that the pandemic-causing virus had leaked from a Chinese lab, The Telegraph reported.

Washington, London, Ottawa, Canberra and Wellington form Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network. In January 2021, a meeting of these Five Eyes nations was convened to discuss if or not Covid leaked from a Chinese lab.&nbsp;

According to The Telegraph, in a previously unreported phone call that month, Mike Pompeo, the then US secretary of state in Trump administration, presented evidence that supported the lab leak theory to Dominic Raab, then the UK Foreign Secretary in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet, as well as to the representatives of Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: CIA helped China cover up Covid lab leak finding? Whistleblower unearths bribery scandal

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Pompeo reportedly gave a summary of classified American intelligence reports collected&nbsp;and compiled by the State Department&nbsp;in the initial days of the Covid pandemic.

"We saw several pieces of information and thought that they were, frankly, gobsmacking," one former official who worked on the intelligence that informed Pompeo's report was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.&nbsp;

"They obviously pointed to the high likelihood that this was indeed a lab leak."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-institute-involved-in-creation-cover-up-of-covid-pandemic-report-603061">Wuhan institute involved in creation, cover-up of Covid pandemic: Report</a>

Earlier, it was reported that the Chinese military officials worked with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the years leading up to the Covid pandemic. Additionally, some researchers at the Wuhan lab became sick shortly before the first cases emerged elsewhere in Wuhan and Hubei province.&nbsp;

Chinese scientists also carried out "gain of function" research at the institute, which is being cited as a key piece of evidence for the lab leak theory.

China has been accused of obstructing World Health Organisation investigations over Lab leak theory, already a divisive topic among the scientists and governments.&nbsp;

The FBI as well as the US Department of Energy say they believe a lab leak is the most likely cause of Covid.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the thick of Covid pandemic, the United States told leaders of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom that there was "high likelihood" that the pandemic-causing virus had leaked from a Chinese lab, The Telegraph reported.

In the thick of Covid pandemic, the United States told leaders of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom that there was "high likelihood" that the pandemic-causing virus had leaked from a Chinese lab, The Telegraph reported. Washington, London, Ottawa, Canberra and Wellington form Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network. In January 2021, a meeting of these Five Eyes nations was convened to discuss if or not Covid leaked from a Chinese lab. According to The Telegraph, in a previously unreported phone call that month, Mike Pompeo, the then US secretary of state in Trump administration, presented evidence that supported the lab leak theory to Dominic Raab, then the UK Foreign Secretary in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet, as well as to the representatives of Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Also watch | Gravitas: CIA helped China cover up Covid lab leak finding? Whistleblower unearths bribery scandal × Pompeo reportedly gave a summary of classified American intelligence reports collected and compiled by the State Department in the initial days of the Covid pandemic. "We saw several pieces of information and thought that they were, frankly, gobsmacking," one former official who worked on the intelligence that informed Pompeo's report was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. "They obviously pointed to the high likelihood that this was indeed a lab leak." Also read | Wuhan institute involved in creation, cover-up of Covid pandemic: Report Earlier, it was reported that the Chinese military officials worked with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the years leading up to the Covid pandemic. Additionally, some researchers at the Wuhan lab became sick shortly before the first cases emerged elsewhere in Wuhan and Hubei province. Chinese scientists also carried out "gain of function" research at the institute, which is being cited as a key piece of evidence for the lab leak theory. China has been accused of obstructing World Health Organisation investigations over Lab leak theory, already a divisive topic among the scientists and governments. The FBI as well as the US Department of Energy say they believe a lab leak is the most likely cause of Covid. (With inputs from agencies)

'High likelihood' Covid leaked from Wuhan Lab: US told UK, three other allies at height of pandemic

No direct evidence proving that coronavirus was created in any incident which took place at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology was found by United States intelligence agencies, said a report declassified on Friday. 
 
The Office of the Director of national intelligence's (ODNI) four-page report stated that the United States intelligence community cannot still rule out the possibility of the virus emerging from the laboratory, however, they have not been able to find evidence that proves the pandemic originated from the lab in any incident. 
 
“The Central Intelligence Agency and another agency remain unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as both (natural and lab) hypotheses rely on significant assumptions or face challenges with conflicting reporting,” the ODNI report stated.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-data-scepticism-china-didnt-release-cremation-data-in-quarterly-report-605268">Covid scepticism deepens as China fails to release cremation data in quarterly report</a>

The report stated that while they have conducted “extensive work” on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute (WIV), no evidence of a specific incident has been found by the agencies that proves to have caused the outbreak. 
 
“We continue to have no indication that the WIV’s pre-pandemic research holdings included SARS-CoV-2 or a close progenitor, nor any direct evidence that a specific research-related incident occurred involving WIV personnel before the pandemic that could have caused the Covid pandemic,” the report stated.

<h2 lang="en-US">China obstructing independent reviews: Lawmakers</h2>

Lawmakers have asked intelligence officials to share more materials about the origins of coronavirus. However, the officials have argued repeatedly that the official obstruction created by China in independent reviews makes it impossible to find the origin of the pandemic. 
 
The report emerged three months after a fuller explanation of the information, that the US intelligence has on the pandemic's origin, was demanded by the lawmakers. 
 
Few lawmakers have alleged that the virus was produced from the gain-of-function genetic engineering research which was carried out in the Wuhan lab and that the evidence has been covered up by Beijing. 
 
Reiterating a conclusion which was reached in March, the ODNI report stated that "almost all" of its constituent agencies, which include the CIA, FBI and NSA have assessed that the coronavirus was not engineered genetically, however, many believe that it was not laboratory-adapted.

WATCH |&nbsp;Why India need not worry about China’s recent COVID surge

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<h2 lang="en-US">COVID-19 not developed as bioweapon?</h2>

The report stated that pathogen research was conducted by Wuhan lab as well as vaccine development along with with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) "for public health needs."

However, the use of coronaviruses in this research "were too distantly related to have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2," the report claimed. The report also strongly rejected the allegations the virus was developed as a bio-weapon by the PLA.

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No direct evidence proving that coronavirus was created in any incident which took place at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology was found by United States intelligence agencies, said a report declassified on Friday.

No direct evidence proving that coronavirus was created in any incident which took place at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology was found by United States intelligence agencies, said a report declassified on Friday. The Office of the Director of national intelligence's (ODNI) four-page report stated that the United States intelligence community cannot still rule out the possibility of the virus emerging from the laboratory, however, they have not been able to find evidence that proves the pandemic originated from the lab in any incident. “The Central Intelligence Agency and another agency remain unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as both (natural and lab) hypotheses rely on significant assumptions or face challenges with conflicting reporting,” the ODNI report stated. ALSO READ | Covid scepticism deepens as China fails to release cremation data in quarterly report The report stated that while they have conducted “extensive work” on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute (WIV), no evidence of a specific incident has been found by the agencies that proves to have caused the outbreak. “We continue to have no indication that the WIV’s pre-pandemic research holdings included SARS-CoV-2 or a close progenitor, nor any direct evidence that a specific research-related incident occurred involving WIV personnel before the pandemic that could have caused the Covid pandemic,” the report stated. China obstructing independent reviews: Lawmakers Lawmakers have asked intelligence officials to share more materials about the origins of coronavirus. However, the officials have argued repeatedly that the official obstruction created by China in independent reviews makes it impossible to find the origin of the pandemic. The report emerged three months after a fuller explanation of the information, that the US intelligence has on the pandemic's origin, was demanded by the lawmakers. Few lawmakers have alleged that the virus was produced from the gain-of-function genetic engineering research which was carried out in the Wuhan lab and that the evidence has been covered up by Beijing. Reiterating a conclusion which was reached in March, the ODNI report stated that "almost all" of its constituent agencies, which include the CIA, FBI and NSA have assessed that the coronavirus was not engineered genetically, however, many believe that it was not laboratory-adapted. WATCH | Why India need not worry about China’s recent COVID surge COVID-19 not developed as bioweapon? The report stated that pathogen research was conducted by Wuhan lab as well as vaccine development along with with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) "for public health needs." However, the use of coronaviruses in this research "were too distantly related to have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2," the report claimed. The report also strongly rejected the allegations the virus was developed as a bio-weapon by the PLA. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US intelligence: No direct evidence found to prove coronavirus created in Wuhan lab, China obstructing review

Wuhan virus has often been used as a synonym for Covid-19. As the entire world & many of the reports claimed the leak of the virus from China's Wuhan Laboratory. But many kinds of research were conducted on Coronavirus before the outbreak. An independent watchdog agency found that U.S. taxpayer funds flowed to Chinese entities for a research.

Did US taxpayers fund $2M worth of research in Wuhan before the COVID-19 outbreak?

Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic more than three years ago, there has been a debate about whether the virus emerged due to a laboratory leak or was it from nature.

Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic more than three years ago, there has been a debate about whether the virus emerged due to a laboratory leak or was it from nature. And researchers who have over these years attempted to find the answer have been hampered by a lack of transparency from China, the country from where the virus first emerged. However, a report in The Sunday Times on Saturday (June 10) said that Chinese scientists were running a covert project of dangerous experiments that caused a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and started the Covid outbreak. Citing US investigators, the report said there was no published information on the work as it was done in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese military, which was funding it, and was pursuing bioweapons. 'Institute engaged in risky experiments on coronaviruses' The Sunday Times report said that the Wuhan Institute of Virology had started hunting the origins of the Sars virus in 2003. It attracted funding from the US government through a New York-based charity. The institute was engaged in risky experiments on coronaviruses it gathered from bat caves in southern China. Initially, the findings (of the experiments) were made public and the institute argued that the associated risks were justified as the work might help develop vaccines. Also read | FBI coronavirus 'lab leak' claims hurt US credibility: China Fast forward to 2016, researchers found a new type of coronavirus in a mineshaft in Mojiang in Yunnan province where people had died from symptoms similar to Sars. And instead of warning the world, China did not report these deaths. The report said that the virus found there are now recognised as the only members of Covid’s immediate family known to have been in existence pre-pandemic. They were transported to the Wuhan Institute and the work of its scientists became classified. American investigators said the classified programme was to make the mineshaft viruses more infectious to humans, the report added. The investigators believed this led to the creation of Covid and that it leaked into Wuhan after a laboratory accident. “It has become increasingly clear that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was involved in the creation, promulgation, and cover-up of the Covid-19 pandemic,” one of the investigators said. In November 2019, researchers working on these experiments were hospitalised with Covid-like symptoms, and their relatives died. China blocks foreign experts from probing source of pandemic The Sunday Times report also pointed out that foreign experts seeking to identify the source of the pandemic were blocked from investigating by China. Alice Hughes, a British bat expert, was a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences which oversees the Wuhan Institute. Hughes had been working in the mines. She said she was barred from speaking to the media about her research and was being watched by Beijing. The restrictions forced her to leave China and move to Hong Kong. US investigators get access to secret intelligence As countries around the world emerged from lockdowns, US investigators were given access to secret intelligence on what was going on in China before Covid emerged. The report said that over a dozen investigators were given access to “metadata, phone information and internet information” from intercepts collected by the US intelligence services. The report also said that the shadow project on the mine viruses at the Wuhan Institute was being funded by the Chinese military. In a separate report, US State Department investigators said, "Despite presenting itself as a civilian institution, the United States has determined that the Wuhan Institute of Virology has collaborated on publications and secret projects with China’s military. The Wuhan Institute of Virology has engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017." The Chinese military was also given positions of responsibility in the institute. One of the investigators said the reason the Mojiang case was covered up was due to military secrecy related to [the army’s] pursuit of dual-use capabilities in virological biological weapons and vaccines. The military had taken an interest in developing a vaccine for the viruses so they could be used as potential bioweapons, the report also said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wuhan institute involved in creation, cover-up of Covid pandemic: Report

The spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry, Mao Ning, has condemned Christopher Wray's allegations about the origin of the coronavirus and asserted that they only damage US credibility.

Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, Wray said that the bureau believes COVID-19 "most likely" originated in a "Chinese government-controlled lab". According to the BBC, it is the first public confirmation of the FBI's classified judgement of how the pandemic virus emerged.

Wray's statement came in response to a report published earlier this week that stated the US Department of Energy had concluded that the COVID-19 outbreak was most likely caused by a leak from a Chinese laboratory.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in its first comments on the investigation into the Covid-19 origins, acknowledged that the virus was likely the result of a lab accident in Wuhan, China. FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News that “the FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.”

In the interview, Wray said that the FBI has a team of experts working specifically on the risk of biological threats that fall into the “wrong hands". Wray added that most of the data is classified, so not much can be said about it. He did admit that it has been difficult to work with the Chinese government on investigating the pandemic’s origin.

“You’re talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab that killed millions of Americans,” Wray said of the coronavirus, “and that’s precisely what that capability was designed for.”

“I will just make the observation that the Chinese government, it seems to me, has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate the work here,” the bureau director said. “The work that our US government and close foreign partners are doing. And that’s unfortunate for everybody.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nikki-haley-makes-big-claim-on-covid-19-demands-aid-cut-to-communist-china-566630">Nikki Haley makes big claim on COVID-19, demands aid cut to 'communist' China</a>

The report comes just a few days after the US energy department in a classified and updated document claimed that the COVID-19 virus was the result of a lab leak. However, the department deemed its level of confidence in its assessment as “low". China later dismissed the report saying that the "origins-tracing of SARS-CoV-2 is about science and should not be politicised."&nbsp;

There has been a divide in the US government over the origins of Covid-19. A 2021 report issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that the National Intelligence Council, along with four other unidentified agencies, in a low-confidence assessment believe that the initial Covid-19 infection “was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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The spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry, Mao Ning, has condemned Christopher Wray's allegations about the origin of the coronavirus and asserted that they only damage US credibility.

The spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry, Mao Ning, has condemned Christopher Wray's allegations about the origin of the coronavirus and asserted that they only damage US credibility. Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, Wray said that the bureau believes COVID-19 "most likely" originated in a "Chinese government-controlled lab". According to the BBC, it is the first public confirmation of the FBI's classified judgement of how the pandemic virus emerged. Wray's statement came in response to a report published earlier this week that stated the US Department of Energy had concluded that the COVID-19 outbreak was most likely caused by a leak from a Chinese laboratory. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in its first comments on the investigation into the Covid-19 origins, acknowledged that the virus was likely the result of a lab accident in Wuhan, China. FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News that “the FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.” In the interview, Wray said that the FBI has a team of experts working specifically on the risk of biological threats that fall into the “wrong hands". Wray added that most of the data is classified, so not much can be said about it. He did admit that it has been difficult to work with the Chinese government on investigating the pandemic’s origin. “You’re talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab that killed millions of Americans,” Wray said of the coronavirus, “and that’s precisely what that capability was designed for.” “I will just make the observation that the Chinese government, it seems to me, has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate the work here,” the bureau director said. “The work that our US government and close foreign partners are doing. And that’s unfortunate for everybody.” Also Read | Nikki Haley makes big claim on COVID-19, demands aid cut to 'communist' China The report comes just a few days after the US energy department in a classified and updated document claimed that the COVID-19 virus was the result of a lab leak. However, the department deemed its level of confidence in its assessment as “low". China later dismissed the report saying that the "origins-tracing of SARS-CoV-2 is about science and should not be politicised." There has been a divide in the US government over the origins of Covid-19. A 2021 report issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that the National Intelligence Council, along with four other unidentified agencies, in a low-confidence assessment believe that the initial Covid-19 infection “was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

FBI coronavirus 'lab leak' claims hurt US credibility: China

A warning was issued by a Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper to Tesla CEO Elon Musk after he retweeted the US government’s “low-confidence” assessment which claimed that the global coronavirus pandemic originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

The warning has been issued before the congressional hearing on China and after the downing of a Chinese espionage balloon escalated tensions between China and the United States.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beijing-should-be-more-honest-on-the-origins-of-covid-19-says-us-ambassador-to-china-566869">China needs to be ‘more honest’ on the origins of COVID-19, says US ambassador; Beijing responds</a>

On Tuesday, CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reported about the warning issued against Musk on the social media pages of the Global Times, which is the English-language subsidiary of the government-run newspaper People’s Daily.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a> Communist Party paper warns <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> against pushing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> lab leak theory. <a href="https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@globaltimesnews</a> posts on social media “Elon Musk, are you breaking the pot of China?” (“Breaking the pot after eating” is Chinese “biting the hand that feeds you.”) <a href="https://t.co/iWmMZAOiGt">https://t.co/iWmMZAOiGt</a> <a href="https://t.co/nN1lhMDlYq">pic.twitter.com/nN1lhMDlYq</a>
— Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) <a href="https://twitter.com/onlyyoontv/status/1630444499213357058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The warning published in the Global Times stated that Musk could be “breaking the pot of China” after the CEO of Twitter and Tesla replied to tweets which asserted that the Covid pandemic started from the Wuhan research laboratory.

Yoon tweeted that the Chinese proverb “breaking the pot after eating” is similar to the idiom “biting the hand that feeds you”. There is an expansive factory campus, which belongs to Tesla, in Shanghai, and China is the second-largest market for the electric vehicle manufacturer.

WATCH | Gravitas: Wuhan Lab Leak theory resurfaces

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The warning came days after&nbsp;the US Department of Energy concluded, with “low confidence”, that the coronavirus pandemic started in the Wuhan laboratory. However, sources familiar with the issue told NBC News that the department's conclusion was not seen as hugely significant.

A similar conclusion was reached by the FBI at a “moderate confidence” level in 2021. Yoon said it's a highly sensitive matter for the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Musk did not comment on the warnings immediately.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A warning was issued by a Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper to Tesla CEO Elon Musk after he retweeted the US government’s “low-confidence” assessment which claimed that the global coronavirus pandemic originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

A warning was issued by a Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper to Tesla CEO Elon Musk after he retweeted the US government’s “low-confidence” assessment which claimed that the global coronavirus pandemic originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. The warning has been issued before the congressional hearing on China and after the downing of a Chinese espionage balloon escalated tensions between China and the United States. ALSO READ | China needs to be ‘more honest’ on the origins of COVID-19, says US ambassador; Beijing responds On Tuesday, CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reported about the warning issued against Musk on the social media pages of the Global Times, which is the English-language subsidiary of the government-run newspaper People’s Daily. #China Communist Party paper warns @elonmusk against pushing #COVID19 lab leak theory. @globaltimesnews posts on social media “Elon Musk, are you breaking the pot of China?” (“Breaking the pot after eating” is Chinese “biting the hand that feeds you.”) https://t.co/iWmMZAOiGt pic.twitter.com/nN1lhMDlYq — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 28, 2023 × The warning published in the Global Times stated that Musk could be “breaking the pot of China” after the CEO of Twitter and Tesla replied to tweets which asserted that the Covid pandemic started from the Wuhan research laboratory. Yoon tweeted that the Chinese proverb “breaking the pot after eating” is similar to the idiom “biting the hand that feeds you”. There is an expansive factory campus, which belongs to Tesla, in Shanghai, and China is the second-largest market for the electric vehicle manufacturer. WATCH | Gravitas: Wuhan Lab Leak theory resurfaces The warning came days after the US Department of Energy concluded, with “low confidence”, that the coronavirus pandemic started in the Wuhan laboratory. However, sources familiar with the issue told NBC News that the department's conclusion was not seen as hugely significant. A similar conclusion was reached by the FBI at a “moderate confidence” level in 2021. Yoon said it's a highly sensitive matter for the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Musk did not comment on the warnings immediately. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

China’s CCP issues warning to Elon Musk against sharing report of Wuhan lab leak

Harvard scientist tells a UK committee investigating COVID-19 that there is no evidence that the virus originated from animal and lab leak from Wuhan is likely the cause of COVID.

Harvard scientist to UK committee: Wuhan lab leak likely cause of COVID

During Monday's talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the highest-ranking Biden administration envoy to visit China, China urged the US to stop "demonising" it.&nbsp;

"The hope may be that by demonising China, the US could somehow... blame China for its structural problems," China's foreign ministry said in a statement, adding the relationship between the nations is in a "stalemate and faces serious difficulties."

Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab

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On July 22, China's National Health Commission rejected the WHO plan for a second phase of the investigation. Later, the US had expressed disappointment with the decision and termed it "dangerous".

Leading infectious disease scientists in the United States are warning that China's rejection of a World Health Organization plan for a new Covid-19 probe inside the country risks losing the rest of the world of crucial data required to detect and prevent future pandemics.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab?

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China has also refused to reveal information about hospital admissions, claiming that doing so would violate individual privacy.

The lab-leak scenario has acquired a lot of popularity recently, prompting US President Joe Biden to assign the American intelligence team a 90-day deadline to figure out where the virus came from.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

During Monday's talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the highest-ranking Biden administration envoy to visit China, China urged the US to stop "demonising" it.

During Monday's talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the highest-ranking Biden administration envoy to visit China, China urged the US to stop "demonising" it. "The hope may be that by demonising China, the US could somehow... blame China for its structural problems," China's foreign ministry said in a statement, adding the relationship between the nations is in a "stalemate and faces serious difficulties." Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab On July 22, China's National Health Commission rejected the WHO plan for a second phase of the investigation. Later, the US had expressed disappointment with the decision and termed it "dangerous". Leading infectious disease scientists in the United States are warning that China's rejection of a World Health Organization plan for a new Covid-19 probe inside the country risks losing the rest of the world of crucial data required to detect and prevent future pandemics. Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab? China has also refused to reveal information about hospital admissions, claiming that doing so would violate individual privacy. The lab-leak scenario has acquired a lot of popularity recently, prompting US President Joe Biden to assign the American intelligence team a 90-day deadline to figure out where the virus came from. (With inputs from agencies)

Stop 'demonising' China: Beijing urges the US as envoy visits

China on Monday reported 76 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily rise since January, including 40 domestic transmissions prompting authorities to test millions in eastern Jiangsu province.&nbsp;

Beijing has a zero-risk approach to the virus, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. It locks down cities and mass tests whenever small clusters appear. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stop-demonising-china-beijing-urges-the-us-as-envoy-visits-400627">Also read | Stop 'demonising' China: Beijing urges the US as envoy visits</a>

Tens of thousands of people are under lockdown in Jiangsu's provincial capital Nanjing as authorities test the city's 9.2 million residents after an outbreak linked to its airport last week.&nbsp;

"Of the 40 domestic cases, 39 were from Jiangsu province and one from Liaoning," the national health commission said in a statement Monday, adding there had been no new deaths.

Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab

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Contact tracing also found five individuals who travelled through the Nanjing airport and tested positive after arriving in neighbouring Anhui and three other provinces, sparking fears that the cluster could lead to a fresh nationwide outbreak.

This prompted Nanjing officials to announce the second round of mass testing for all residents starting Sunday to identify patients who may take longer than usual to show symptoms.&nbsp;

Beijing has rushed to curb recent mini-outbreaks in border provinces, aware of the risks of the fast-spreading Delta variant. &nbsp; 
 
Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab?

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One new case was reported Monday in the northeastern province of Liaoning that borders North Korea, bringing the total number of local transmissions in the region to five since Thursday.

Yunnan in the southwest has reported a spike in infections traced to neighbouring Myanmar, where the military government that seized power in February is struggling to contain a coronavirus surge.&nbsp;

The province has reported 79 cases since June 20 with nearly half linked to Myanmar.

Beijing has tightened border controls and even supplied over 10,000 Covid-19 vaccines to the Kachin Independence Army, a spokesman for the rebel group said Saturday.

The border town of Ruili in Yunnan is using facial recognition to track people's movements and health status as they enter and exit residential areas, supermarkets, transport hubs and other public places to squash the virus spread.

The southern manufacturing hub of Guangdong is building a quarantine clinic for international arrivals with 5,000 beds after being hit by a recent virus outbreak.

China has recorded 92,605 virus cases and 4,636 deaths since the initial outbreak in late 2019.

China on Monday reported 76 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily rise since January, including 40 domestic transmissions prompting authorities to test millions in eastern Jiangsu province.

China on Monday reported 76 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily rise since January, including 40 domestic transmissions prompting authorities to test millions in eastern Jiangsu province. Beijing has a zero-risk approach to the virus, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. It locks down cities and mass tests whenever small clusters appear. Also read | Stop 'demonising' China: Beijing urges the US as envoy visits Tens of thousands of people are under lockdown in Jiangsu's provincial capital Nanjing as authorities test the city's 9.2 million residents after an outbreak linked to its airport last week. "Of the 40 domestic cases, 39 were from Jiangsu province and one from Liaoning," the national health commission said in a statement Monday, adding there had been no new deaths. Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab Contact tracing also found five individuals who travelled through the Nanjing airport and tested positive after arriving in neighbouring Anhui and three other provinces, sparking fears that the cluster could lead to a fresh nationwide outbreak. This prompted Nanjing officials to announce the second round of mass testing for all residents starting Sunday to identify patients who may take longer than usual to show symptoms. Beijing has rushed to curb recent mini-outbreaks in border provinces, aware of the risks of the fast-spreading Delta variant. Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab? One new case was reported Monday in the northeastern province of Liaoning that borders North Korea, bringing the total number of local transmissions in the region to five since Thursday. Yunnan in the southwest has reported a spike in infections traced to neighbouring Myanmar, where the military government that seized power in February is struggling to contain a coronavirus surge. The province has reported 79 cases since June 20 with nearly half linked to Myanmar. Beijing has tightened border controls and even supplied over 10,000 Covid-19 vaccines to the Kachin Independence Army, a spokesman for the rebel group said Saturday. The border town of Ruili in Yunnan is using facial recognition to track people's movements and health status as they enter and exit residential areas, supermarkets, transport hubs and other public places to squash the virus spread. The southern manufacturing hub of Guangdong is building a quarantine clinic for international arrivals with 5,000 beds after being hit by a recent virus outbreak. China has recorded 92,605 virus cases and 4,636 deaths since the initial outbreak in late 2019.

New outbreak of COVID-19 in China: Highest daily rise since January

China is blocking the World Health Organization's call for a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, which includes looking into whether it leaked from a lab, claiming that there is no proof for the theory and that it violates common sense.&nbsp;

China warned that a WHO plan to inspect Chinese labs as part of a larger investigation into the origins of the coronavirus outbreak demonstrates "disrespect" and "arrogance toward science."

Following increased pressure from the US for an investigation into a biotech facility in Wuhan, the WHO stated last week that a second stage of the international probe should include audits of Chinese facilities.&nbsp;

Liang Wannian, an epidemiologist who led a team of Chinese scientists working with the WHO said that the Wuhan laboratory "never possessed the virus."

“There's no reason for us to devote further resources to a lab leak investigation.”&nbsp;

"Audits of relevant laboratories and research institutions functioning in the vicinity of the initial human cases detected in December 2019," is one of the key aspects of the probe,&nbsp;according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was referring to the Chinese city of Wuhan.&nbsp;

Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab

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The search for the virus's origins has been marred by debate, with officials in Beijing and Washington promoting opposing viewpoints on how the illness emerged.&nbsp;

Chinese officials stated that they are determined to learn more about the novel coronavirus's origins, which they believe should be based on science. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab?

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Political posturing has tainted the WHO's plans to make the lab leak hypothesis a priority for the next round of investigation, displaying "arrogance against science," they said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

China is blocking the World Health Organization's call for a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, which includes looking into whether it leaked from a lab, claiming that there is no proof for the theory and that it violates common sense.

China is blocking the World Health Organization's call for a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, which includes looking into whether it leaked from a lab, claiming that there is no proof for the theory and that it violates common sense. China warned that a WHO plan to inspect Chinese labs as part of a larger investigation into the origins of the coronavirus outbreak demonstrates "disrespect" and "arrogance toward science." Following increased pressure from the US for an investigation into a biotech facility in Wuhan, the WHO stated last week that a second stage of the international probe should include audits of Chinese facilities. Liang Wannian, an epidemiologist who led a team of Chinese scientists working with the WHO said that the Wuhan laboratory "never possessed the virus." “There's no reason for us to devote further resources to a lab leak investigation.” "Audits of relevant laboratories and research institutions functioning in the vicinity of the initial human cases detected in December 2019," is one of the key aspects of the probe, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was referring to the Chinese city of Wuhan. Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab The search for the virus's origins has been marred by debate, with officials in Beijing and Washington promoting opposing viewpoints on how the illness emerged. Chinese officials stated that they are determined to learn more about the novel coronavirus's origins, which they believe should be based on science. Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab? Political posturing has tainted the WHO's plans to make the lab leak hypothesis a priority for the next round of investigation, displaying "arrogance against science," they said. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Wuhan lab leak study — China opposes virus origins probe

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that the Chinese Communist Party must be held responsible for the deadly coronavirus&nbsp;that was leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and then covered up.&nbsp;

Pompeo made the comments in an exclusive interview with Sinclair's television news programme, The National Desk.&nbsp;

Pompeo, who was also Trump's first CIA director, said that China should be thrown out of the World Health Organization and the United States should not send athletes to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and that possible government sanctions may be necessary.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: Interviewed by my <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreSinclair?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WeAreSinclair</a> colleague <a href="https://twitter.com/janjeffcoat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@janjeffcoat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TND?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TND</a>, former Secretary of State <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mikepompeo</a> makes what could be the first public reference to the specific jobs of the stricken workers at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WuhanLab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WuhanLab</a>, calling them "doctors." <a href="https://t.co/ATV1lS98E8">pic.twitter.com/ATV1lS98E8</a>
— James Rosen (@JamesRosenTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesRosenTV/status/1409932036299759625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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China is coming under increasing pressure over probe into the origins of the COVID-19, even as scientists are demanding more clarity to go into the roots of the global pandemic.

Sky News Australia host Andrew Bolt on May 26 spoke to Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, Director of Endocrinology at Flinders Medical Centre, who said that the world's scientific community had been "tricked by China", reported New York Post.

WHO team investigating the origins of COVID-19 in China found no evidence that the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab.

However, the team was closely monitored by Chinese authorities during its investigation, and one of its members told UK news agency news that China refused to hand over key data from the initial outbreak, reported New York Post.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that the Chinese Communist Party must be held responsible for the deadly coronavirus that was leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and then covered up.

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that the Chinese Communist Party must be held responsible for the deadly coronavirus that was leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and then covered up. Pompeo made the comments in an exclusive interview with Sinclair's television news programme, The National Desk. Pompeo, who was also Trump's first CIA director, said that China should be thrown out of the World Health Organization and the United States should not send athletes to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and that possible government sanctions may be necessary. EXCLUSIVE: Interviewed by my @WeAreSinclair colleague @janjeffcoat @TND, former Secretary of State @mikepompeo makes what could be the first public reference to the specific jobs of the stricken workers at the #WuhanLab, calling them "doctors." pic.twitter.com/ATV1lS98E8 — James Rosen (@JamesRosenTV) June 29, 2021 × China is coming under increasing pressure over probe into the origins of the COVID-19, even as scientists are demanding more clarity to go into the roots of the global pandemic. Sky News Australia host Andrew Bolt on May 26 spoke to Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, Director of Endocrinology at Flinders Medical Centre, who said that the world's scientific community had been "tricked by China", reported New York Post. WHO team investigating the origins of COVID-19 in China found no evidence that the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab. However, the team was closely monitored by Chinese authorities during its investigation, and one of its members told UK news agency news that China refused to hand over key data from the initial outbreak, reported New York Post. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: China needs to be held accountable for the Wuhan lab leak and cover-up, says Pompeo

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports.

Shi Zhengli, head of Wuhan Institute of Virology, dubbed as batwoman, also received a special mention from the academy. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab

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According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the controversial lab has been nominated for the award for conducting "the most comprehensive and systematic identification research on the aetiology of COVID-19."

In medical context, aetiology refers to the investigation or attribution of the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.

"The project's results have laid an important foundation and platform for the follow-up research on the origin, epidemiology, and pathogenic mechanism of the COVID-19 virus," said the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab?

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The Wuhan Institute of Virology's research also contributed to the containment of the coronavirus pandemic and the development of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the academy.

Dr Zhengli, the lab's director, has been accused of conducting "gain-of-function" (GOF) experiments, in which scientists boost the strength of a virus to better analyse its effects on hosts.

Many scientists think the coronavirus slipped out of Dr Zhengli's lab.

Dr Zhengli, on the other hand, refuted all accusations regarding the virus breach from the lab, adding, "How on earth can I bring up evidence for something where there is no evidence?"&nbsp;

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports.

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports. Shi Zhengli, head of Wuhan Institute of Virology, dubbed as batwoman, also received a special mention from the academy. Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the controversial lab has been nominated for the award for conducting "the most comprehensive and systematic identification research on the aetiology of COVID-19." In medical context, aetiology refers to the investigation or attribution of the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition. "The project's results have laid an important foundation and platform for the follow-up research on the origin, epidemiology, and pathogenic mechanism of the COVID-19 virus," said the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab? The Wuhan Institute of Virology's research also contributed to the containment of the coronavirus pandemic and the development of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the academy. Dr Zhengli, the lab's director, has been accused of conducting "gain-of-function" (GOF) experiments, in which scientists boost the strength of a virus to better analyse its effects on hosts. Many scientists think the coronavirus slipped out of Dr Zhengli's lab. Dr Zhengli, on the other hand, refuted all accusations regarding the virus breach from the lab, adding, "How on earth can I bring up evidence for something where there is no evidence?"

Wuhan lab suspected of leaking COVID-19 nominated for top science award in China

Former US president Donald Trump has stated that his opinion that the "China Virus" originated in the Wuhan Lab was correct.

Trump says 'I was right about Wuhan lab leak'

Former US president Donald Trump has stated that his opinion that the "China Virus" originated in the Wuhan Lab was correct.

He also asked for a penalty to be imposed on China for the deaths and damages caused by the "lab leak."&nbsp;

"Now everyone, even the so-called ''enemy'', is beginning to say that President Trump was right about the China Virus coming from Wuhan Lab," the Republican former president said. The 'enemy' reference was to his Democratic rival and now US President, Joe Biden. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fauci-calls-on-china-to-release-medical-records-of-wuhan-lab-workers-report-389348">Also read | Fauci calls on China to release medical records of Wuhan lab workers: Report</a> 
 
"The correspondence between Dr (Anthony) Fauci and China speaks too loudly for anyone to ignore. China should pay $10 trillion to America, and the world, for the death and destruction they have caused!" added Trump.

Dr Fauci's view on the Wuhan lab leak theory has shifted after Trump's remark. 
 
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/origin-of-wuhan-virus-needs-to-be-found-386627">Origin of Wuhan virus needs to be found</a>

Fauci has faced backlash in the wake of the leak of 10,000 emails from the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 2020.

An executive at EcoHealth, which funded research at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology into the origin of COVID-19, thanked Dr Fauci for publicly stating that scientific evidence supports a 'natural origin for the Coronavirus and not a lab leak'. 
 
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virus-origin-probe-poisoned-by-politics-says-who-388122">Virus origin probe 'poisoned by politics', says WHO</a>

Denying any connections, Dr Fauci while speaking to CNN said, "That's nonsense. I don't even see how they get that from that email. I have always said and will say today, that I still believe the most likely origin is from an animal species to a human, but I keep an open mind that if there may be other origins of that, there may be another reason, it could have been a lab leak from China." He has urged China and World Health Organization&nbsp;for a transparent process, stating that there was a need to get to the bottom of the origins of the pandemic. 
 
<img alt="Lab leak" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e1d421e2-e831-48d0-a063-72d8d2ea80ad" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202021-06-04%20at%201.59.30%20PM.jpeg" />

The controversial claim was dismissed by experts last year, who said it was "extremely unlikely". No evidence to support it has emerged.

But in recent days, amid criticism of an inconclusive international probe into the virus' origins and new reports of Covid-related illness in the region weeks before it was officially identified, the theory is once again sparking debate.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US president Donald Trump has stated that his opinion that the "China Virus" originated in the Wuhan Lab was correct. He also asked for a penalty to be imposed on China for the deaths and damages caused by the "lab leak.

Former US president Donald Trump has stated that his opinion that the "China Virus" originated in the Wuhan Lab was correct. He also asked for a penalty to be imposed on China for the deaths and damages caused by the "lab leak." "Now everyone, even the so-called ''enemy'', is beginning to say that President Trump was right about the China Virus coming from Wuhan Lab," the Republican former president said. The 'enemy' reference was to his Democratic rival and now US President, Joe Biden. Also read | Fauci calls on China to release medical records of Wuhan lab workers: Report "The correspondence between Dr (Anthony) Fauci and China speaks too loudly for anyone to ignore. China should pay $10 trillion to America, and the world, for the death and destruction they have caused!" added Trump. Dr Fauci's view on the Wuhan lab leak theory has shifted after Trump's remark. Also Read | Origin of Wuhan virus needs to be found Fauci has faced backlash in the wake of the leak of 10,000 emails from the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 2020. An executive at EcoHealth, which funded research at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology into the origin of COVID-19, thanked Dr Fauci for publicly stating that scientific evidence supports a 'natural origin for the Coronavirus and not a lab leak'. Also Read | Virus origin probe 'poisoned by politics', says WHO Denying any connections, Dr Fauci while speaking to CNN said, "That's nonsense. I don't even see how they get that from that email. I have always said and will say today, that I still believe the most likely origin is from an animal species to a human, but I keep an open mind that if there may be other origins of that, there may be another reason, it could have been a lab leak from China." He has urged China and World Health Organization for a transparent process, stating that there was a need to get to the bottom of the origins of the pandemic. The controversial claim was dismissed by experts last year, who said it was "extremely unlikely". No evidence to support it has emerged. But in recent days, amid criticism of an inconclusive international probe into the virus' origins and new reports of Covid-related illness in the region weeks before it was officially identified, the theory is once again sparking debate. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says 'I was right about Wuhan lab leak'; demands $10 trillion penalty from China

A day after President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-biden-orders-us-intelligence-to-redouble-efforts-to-collect-information-on-covid-19-origin-387626">Joe Biden</a> ordered US intelligence to probe the origins of coronavirus, President Xi Jinping's regime said the US was attempting to make a "scapegoat" out of China.

Watch:

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"In July 2019, there were respiratory diseases that emerged in northern Virginia for unknown causes and we also saw the Evali outbreak in Wisconsin. Did the US ever share information and data on relevant cases?," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman&nbsp;Zhao Lijian hit back on Thursday.

His comments came&nbsp;after Biden asked the US intelligence on Wednesday to report back to him on the origins&nbsp;of the virus within 90 days.

In a statement, Biden said he had "asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required including specific questions on China."

"The US keeps talking about wanting China to participate in a full, transparent, scientific evidence-based international investigation. Then we ask the US to follow China's example and immediately start science-based cooperation with the WHO," China's foreign ministry said.

"Their aim is to use the pandemic to pursue stigmatisation, political manipulation and blame shifting," it added.&nbsp;

The Chinese foreign ministry lashed out at the US stating that the US intelligence has a "notorious" track record citing the "test-tube of laundry powder which was cited as the evidence of weapons of mass destruction and the staged white helmets video to launch strikes on Syria."

The foreign ministry, while questioning the credibility of US intelligence, said that the US has turned "a blind eye to facts, science and questionable study of origins" while adding that it has "kept clamouring for additional investigation in China."

The US had earlier called for a "transparent" phase 2 probe of the coronavirus origins study after a US newspaper reported that researchers at the Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan had fallen ill back in 2019 nearly a month before&nbsp;Chinese authorities&nbsp;reported the first coronavirus case to the WHO.

However, the Chinese foreign ministry denied the report claiming that no one at&nbsp;the Wuhan lab had fallen ill before the outbreak of the virus asserting that the US was "hyping the lab leak theory".

(With inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

A day after President Joe Biden ordered US intelligence to probe the origins of coronavirus, President Xi Jinping's regime said the US was attempting to make a "scapegoat" out of China.

A day after President Joe Biden ordered US intelligence to probe the origins of coronavirus, President Xi Jinping's regime said the US was attempting to make a "scapegoat" out of China. Watch: "In July 2019, there were respiratory diseases that emerged in northern Virginia for unknown causes and we also saw the Evali outbreak in Wisconsin. Did the US ever share information and data on relevant cases?," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian hit back on Thursday. His comments came after Biden asked the US intelligence on Wednesday to report back to him on the origins of the virus within 90 days. In a statement, Biden said he had "asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required including specific questions on China." "The US keeps talking about wanting China to participate in a full, transparent, scientific evidence-based international investigation. Then we ask the US to follow China's example and immediately start science-based cooperation with the WHO," China's foreign ministry said. "Their aim is to use the pandemic to pursue stigmatisation, political manipulation and blame shifting," it added. The Chinese foreign ministry lashed out at the US stating that the US intelligence has a "notorious" track record citing the "test-tube of laundry powder which was cited as the evidence of weapons of mass destruction and the staged white helmets video to launch strikes on Syria." The foreign ministry, while questioning the credibility of US intelligence, said that the US has turned "a blind eye to facts, science and questionable study of origins" while adding that it has "kept clamouring for additional investigation in China." The US had earlier called for a "transparent" phase 2 probe of the coronavirus origins study after a US newspaper reported that researchers at the Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan had fallen ill back in 2019 nearly a month before Chinese authorities reported the first coronavirus case to the WHO. However, the Chinese foreign ministry denied the report claiming that no one at the Wuhan lab had fallen ill before the outbreak of the virus asserting that the US was "hyping the lab leak theory". (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus lab leak row: US intelligence has a notorious track record, says China

China&nbsp;hit out at the "dark history" of the US intelligence community Thursday after President Joe Biden ordered a probe into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> origins which threaten to set the course for relations between the world's top economies.

Washington is reviewing its diplomatic position with&nbsp;China&nbsp;on issues spanning trade, technological supremacy and rights, while it steps up efforts to hook Western democracies into a united diplomatic front against perceived Chinese aggression.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-china-us-trade-officials-hold-candid-first-talks-387755">Top China, US trade officials hold 'candid' first talks</a>

The countries' trade envoys have held "candid" phone talks on the progress of a deal plotted as a pathway out of a trade war sparked by former President Donald Trump, which saw tariffs lumped on tens of billions of dollars of the rivals' goods.

But on Wednesday, President Biden reopened a barely healed sore between the countries by ordering US intelligence agencies to report to him within 90 days on whether the COVID-19 virus first emerged in&nbsp;China&nbsp;from an animal source or from a laboratory accident.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-biden-orders-us-intelligence-to-redouble-efforts-to-collect-information-on-covid-19-origin-387626">President Biden orders US intelligence to 'redouble efforts' to collect information on COVID-19 origin</a>

The lab-leak theory, initially trotted out by Trump then dismissed as "highly unlikely" by a delayed World Health Organization mission to&nbsp;China, has resurfaced in recent days, driven by Washington.

China&nbsp;is intensely sensitive to allegations it could have done more to stop the spread of a pandemic that has gone on to kill well over 3.4 million people and has eviscerated economies since emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

Beijing rejects the theory the virus may have emerged from a virology lab in Wuhan and has instead accused the US of peddling "conspiracies" and politicising the pandemic.&nbsp;

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The Biden administration's "motive and purposes are clear", Zhao Lijian a ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said on Thursday, rejecting the need for a new investigation into the pandemic.

"The dark history of the US intelligence community has long been known to the world," he added, referring to the US' unfounded allegations of weapons of mass destruction that led to its invasion of Iraq.

Reviving the lab leak theory "is disrespectful to science... and also a disruption to the global fight against the pandemic", Zhao said.

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But the idea of virus release from a Wuhan lab is gaining increasing traction in the United States.

Citing a US intelligence report, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that a trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology was hospitalised with a seasonal illness in November 2019, a month before Beijing disclosed the existence of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-lab-origin-theory-gains-traction-in-united-states-387436">Covid lab origin theory gains traction in United States</a>&nbsp;

The natural origin hypothesis, backed as the most likely by the WHO expert team who visited&nbsp;China, holds that the virus emerged in bats then passed to humans, likely via an intermediary species.

This theory was widely accepted at the start of the pandemic, but as time has worn on, scientists have not found a virus in either bats or another animal that matches the genetic signature of SARS-CoV-2.

Trade talks

China&nbsp;is at pains to move on from the pandemic origin quest, driven by Western nations including Australia and the UK.

Instead, it is focused on its economic rebound since squashing the pandemic inside its borders.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/us-china-trade-deal-what-were-the-key-issues-and-are-they-resolved-275073">US China trade deal: What were the key issues and are they resolved?</a>

The commerce ministry on Thursday welcomed trade talks with Washington which are part of a deal to end the bruising trade war.

The two countries signed the so-called "phase 1" agreement in January 2020, in which Beijing pledged to increase its purchases of American products and services by at least $200 billion over 2020 and 2021.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-pandemic-us-china-agree-to-push-forward-phase-one-trade-deal-322902">Amid pandemic, US, China agree to 'push forward' phase one trade deal</a>

But top US trade negotiator Katherine Tai has said she is analysing whether the terms of that pact have been met by&nbsp;China, with some experts saying Beijing is falling up to 40 per cent short on its agreement to buy US goods.

The talks were the first between top trade envoys since Biden came to office and are significant given previous high-level contacts, including a face-to-face meeting of foreign envoys in Alaska, have collapsed in acrimony.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-taiwan-sign-first-agreement-under-biden-administration-after-china-law-373392">US, Taiwan sign first agreement under Biden administration after China law</a>

But the trade discussions are a matter of "diplomatic protocol more than about re-engagement" says Alex Capri, Research Fellow, Hinrich Foundation.

Despite Biden's less hawkish language, the US-China&nbsp;relationship &nbsp;appears on the "same trajectory as his predecessor", says Capri of "systemic rivalry, defined by techno-nationalist and neo-mercantilist competition."

China hit out at the "dark history" of the US intelligence community Thursday after President Joe Biden ordered a probe into the COVID-19 origins which threaten to set the course for relations between the world's top economies.

China hit out at the "dark history" of the US intelligence community Thursday after President Joe Biden ordered a probe into the COVID-19 origins which threaten to set the course for relations between the world's top economies. Washington is reviewing its diplomatic position with China on issues spanning trade, technological supremacy and rights, while it steps up efforts to hook Western democracies into a united diplomatic front against perceived Chinese aggression. Also Read | Top China, US trade officials hold 'candid' first talks The countries' trade envoys have held "candid" phone talks on the progress of a deal plotted as a pathway out of a trade war sparked by former President Donald Trump, which saw tariffs lumped on tens of billions of dollars of the rivals' goods. But on Wednesday, President Biden reopened a barely healed sore between the countries by ordering US intelligence agencies to report to him within 90 days on whether the COVID-19 virus first emerged in China from an animal source or from a laboratory accident. Also Read | President Biden orders US intelligence to 'redouble efforts' to collect information on COVID-19 origin The lab-leak theory, initially trotted out by Trump then dismissed as "highly unlikely" by a delayed World Health Organization mission to China, has resurfaced in recent days, driven by Washington. China is intensely sensitive to allegations it could have done more to stop the spread of a pandemic that has gone on to kill well over 3.4 million people and has eviscerated economies since emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Beijing rejects the theory the virus may have emerged from a virology lab in Wuhan and has instead accused the US of peddling "conspiracies" and politicising the pandemic. The Biden administration's "motive and purposes are clear", Zhao Lijian a ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said on Thursday, rejecting the need for a new investigation into the pandemic. "The dark history of the US intelligence community has long been known to the world," he added, referring to the US' unfounded allegations of weapons of mass destruction that led to its invasion of Iraq. Reviving the lab leak theory "is disrespectful to science... and also a disruption to the global fight against the pandemic", Zhao said. But the idea of virus release from a Wuhan lab is gaining increasing traction in the United States. Citing a US intelligence report, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that a trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology was hospitalised with a seasonal illness in November 2019, a month before Beijing disclosed the existence of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak. Also Read | Covid lab origin theory gains traction in United States The natural origin hypothesis, backed as the most likely by the WHO expert team who visited China, holds that the virus emerged in bats then passed to humans, likely via an intermediary species. This theory was widely accepted at the start of the pandemic, but as time has worn on, scientists have not found a virus in either bats or another animal that matches the genetic signature of SARS-CoV-2. Trade talks China is at pains to move on from the pandemic origin quest, driven by Western nations including Australia and the UK. Instead, it is focused on its economic rebound since squashing the pandemic inside its borders. Also Read | US China trade deal: What were the key issues and are they resolved? The commerce ministry on Thursday welcomed trade talks with Washington which are part of a deal to end the bruising trade war. The two countries signed the so-called "phase 1" agreement in January 2020, in which Beijing pledged to increase its purchases of American products and services by at least $200 billion over 2020 and 2021. Also Read | Amid pandemic, US, China agree to 'push forward' phase one trade deal But top US trade negotiator Katherine Tai has said she is analysing whether the terms of that pact have been met by China, with some experts saying Beijing is falling up to 40 per cent short on its agreement to buy US goods. The talks were the first between top trade envoys since Biden came to office and are significant given previous high-level contacts, including a face-to-face meeting of foreign envoys in Alaska, have collapsed in acrimony. Also Read | US, Taiwan sign first agreement under Biden administration after China law But the trade discussions are a matter of "diplomatic protocol more than about re-engagement" says Alex Capri, Research Fellow, Hinrich Foundation. Despite Biden's less hawkish language, the US-China relationship appears on the "same trajectory as his predecessor", says Capri of "systemic rivalry, defined by techno-nationalist and neo-mercantilist competition."

China rails at Biden intelligence probe into virus origins

US President Joe Biden in a statement on Wednesday said that the "failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fauci-admits-wuhan-lab-received-modest-funds-from-us-amid-calls-for-probe-into-covid-origins-387497">COVID-19</a>."

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/researchers-have-identified-three-subtypes-of-covid-19-mutant-387524/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US president revealed that he had called&nbsp;the CDC earlier when the reports first emerged about the virus "to get access to China to learn about the virus so we could fight it more effectively."

"As of today, the US intelligence community has coalesced around two likely scenarios", Biden said, "but has not reached a definite conclusion on the question."

"Here is the current position - while two elements in the intelligence report leans&nbsp;towards the former scenario and the one leans more towards the latter - each with low or moderate confidence - the majority of elements do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be likely than the other."

"I have asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyse information that could bring us closer to a definite conclusion and to report back to be me in 90 days," the US President said.

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Read the full statement by President Joe Biden on the investigation into the origins of COVID-19: <a href="https://t.co/Lo4Y2g0IKQ">pic.twitter.com/Lo4Y2g0IKQ</a>
— National Security Council (@WHNSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHNSC/status/1397597235450425346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required including specific questions on China," the president added.

"I have also asked that his effort include work by our national labs and other agencies of our government to augment the intelligence community's efforts," he said.

The president said that he has also asked the intelligence community to keep Congress fully appraised of its work.

Earlier on Wednesday, after the US demanded a "transparent, science-based" probe into the origin of coronavirus, the Chinese foreign ministry said that "the United States continues to hype up the lab leak theory".

"The Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences issued a relevant statement on March 23 this year," the Chinese foreign ministry asserted while adding that, "before December 30, 2019, coronavirus was not contracted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Until now, there has been zero infection of staff and post-graduate students at the institute."

The lab leak theory gathered pace after a report claimed that US intelligence agencies had revealed that researchers at China's virology laboratory had fallen ill in 2019 before Chinese authorities reported the case to the WHO.&nbsp;

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the US was "spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation such as a laboratory leak". 
&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden in a statement on Wednesday said that the "failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of COVID-19.

US President Joe Biden in a statement on Wednesday said that the "failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of COVID-19." Watch: The US president revealed that he had called the CDC earlier when the reports first emerged about the virus "to get access to China to learn about the virus so we could fight it more effectively." "As of today, the US intelligence community has coalesced around two likely scenarios", Biden said, "but has not reached a definite conclusion on the question." "Here is the current position - while two elements in the intelligence report leans towards the former scenario and the one leans more towards the latter - each with low or moderate confidence - the majority of elements do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be likely than the other." "I have asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyse information that could bring us closer to a definite conclusion and to report back to be me in 90 days," the US President said. Read the full statement by President Joe Biden on the investigation into the origins of COVID-19: pic.twitter.com/Lo4Y2g0IKQ — National Security Council (@WHNSC) May 26, 2021 × "As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required including specific questions on China," the president added. "I have also asked that his effort include work by our national labs and other agencies of our government to augment the intelligence community's efforts," he said. The president said that he has also asked the intelligence community to keep Congress fully appraised of its work. Earlier on Wednesday, after the US demanded a "transparent, science-based" probe into the origin of coronavirus, the Chinese foreign ministry said that "the United States continues to hype up the lab leak theory". "The Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences issued a relevant statement on March 23 this year," the Chinese foreign ministry asserted while adding that, "before December 30, 2019, coronavirus was not contracted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Until now, there has been zero infection of staff and post-graduate students at the institute." The lab leak theory gathered pace after a report claimed that US intelligence agencies had revealed that researchers at China's virology laboratory had fallen ill in 2019 before Chinese authorities reported the case to the WHO. China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the US was "spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation such as a laboratory leak".

President Biden orders US intelligence to 'redouble efforts' to collect information on COVID-19 origin

Bats, Minks or Lab Leak? What caused this pandemic? 18 months on, no one knows how the Wuhan Virus originated. The WHO promised to find an answer, but all Dr. Tedros has offered are hypotheses. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Will WHO ever reveal COVID-19 origins?

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