The pandemic has triggered the biggest crisis of Xi Jinping's career. The outbreak has upended three projects - that would have crafted the legacy of the Chinese President. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how 2020 is turning out to be Xi Jinping's toughest year.

Gravitas: Xi Jinping's legacy is under threat

As the coronavirus continues to spread across the world, China has unleashed a wave of propaganda to counter the criticism. But, Beijing's multiple attempts to launch crafty disinformation campaigns have backfired.

Gravitas: Why propaganda is China's favorite tool

Has China deliberately flooded Wuhan to whitewash all evidence on the origin of the Coronavirus? Wuhan is flooded with water and conspiracies.

Gravitas: Wuhan floods | Natural or Deliberate?

Months after the Wuhan virus spread from China to the rest of the world, China now faces the threat of a new epidemic. Inner Mongolia has reported a suspected case of Bubonic plague - a disease that killed over 50 million people in the 14th Century. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why China's wet markets have become a threat to global health.

Gravitas: Another Epidemic Outbreak in China?

An expert committee on Thursday suggested Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to not accept aid from the United States.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation, which is an American program of foreign assistance to counter China's debt-trap, had offered assistance to Sri Lanka. And hence, Colombo had set-up an expert committee to study the offer.

The experts said that the MCC agreement contains clauses that are not in agreement with the Constitution of Sri Lanka and are detrimental to the sovereignty of the country. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-is-exposed-thanks-to-global-times-editor-308876">&nbsp;Also Read: China is exposed. Thanks to Global Times editor</a>

However, it seems Colombo has no problem accepting aid from Beijing. Sri Lanka has set up a Joint Consultation Mechanism comprising the Chinese Communist Party and Sri Lanka's main political parties to support Belt and Road cooperation.&nbsp;

Furthermore, Pakistan is negotiating terms for repayment of the loan it has taken from China. According to a report, Islamabad wants to delay repayment of the loan for up to 10 years and Beijing might just agree to this.

China has paused debt repayment for 77 countries and 40 of them are in Africa alone to improve its global image. In 2019, China's outstanding debt claims stood at well over $5 trillion. 
 
China seems to be caught in its own trap. Its reputation has been hit by the coronavirus outbreak&nbsp;and its Belt and Road project is corroded by a pile of debt.

An expert committee on Thursday suggested Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to not accept aid from the United States. The Millennium Challenge Corporation, which is an American program of foreign assistance to counter China's debt-trap, had offered assistance to Sri Lanka.

An expert committee on Thursday suggested Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to not accept aid from the United States. The Millennium Challenge Corporation, which is an American program of foreign assistance to counter China's debt-trap, had offered assistance to Sri Lanka. And hence, Colombo had set-up an expert committee to study the offer. The experts said that the MCC agreement contains clauses that are not in agreement with the Constitution of Sri Lanka and are detrimental to the sovereignty of the country. Also Read: China is exposed. Thanks to Global Times editor However, it seems Colombo has no problem accepting aid from Beijing. Sri Lanka has set up a Joint Consultation Mechanism comprising the Chinese Communist Party and Sri Lanka's main political parties to support Belt and Road cooperation. Furthermore, Pakistan is negotiating terms for repayment of the loan it has taken from China. According to a report, Islamabad wants to delay repayment of the loan for up to 10 years and Beijing might just agree to this. China has paused debt repayment for 77 countries and 40 of them are in Africa alone to improve its global image. In 2019, China's outstanding debt claims stood at well over $5 trillion. China seems to be caught in its own trap. Its reputation has been hit by the coronavirus outbreak and its Belt and Road project is corroded by a pile of debt.

China caught in its own debt-trap

When President Xi Jinping was sworn-in for a second term, he declared that China has now stood up, grown rich, become strong, and is moving towards the centre stage.

Xi announced&nbsp;that China wants a greater role on the world stage.&nbsp;However, growing disputes, debt-trap diplomacy and lapses during the Covid-19 pandemic are hurting China on the world stage. 
 
Let's measure where china stands in the world and how its expansionist agenda has upended the international rules-based order.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=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%2FaXU9LzExNDQwNDY1L1dpb25ld3NfVmlkZW8vV2lvbmV3c19QcmVyb2xsJmRlc2NyaXB0aW9uX3VybD1bcGxhY2Vob2xkZXJdJmVudj12cCZpbXBsPXMmY29ycmVsYXRvcj0mdGZjZD0wJm5wYT0wJmdkZnBfcmVxPTEmb3V0cHV0PXZhc3Qmc3o9NjQweDQ4MCZ1bnZpZXdlZF9wb3NpdGlvbl9zdGFydD0xIn0sImxpYnJhcnlSZXF1ZXN0ZWQiOnRydWV9LCJoZWFsdGhBbmFseXRpY3MiOnt9fSwiaHRtbDUiOnRydWV9" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pandemic-could-hit-drug-markets-as-in-2008-crisis-united-nations-308473">Also Read: Pandemic could hit drug markets as in 2008 crisis: United Nations</a>

As of today, at least 10 countries have a dispute with China. These disputes range from diplomatic tussles to territorial claims. The United States and Australia are fighting a trade war with China. India is engaged in a border standoff and there are multiple flashpoints on the high seas - the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

The list of disputes is much longer, but China buys the silence of many countries. It repossesses smaller countries when they can't keep up with debt payments. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-who-warns-possible-lack-of-oxygen-as-cases-near-10-million-308449">Also Read: WHO warns possible lack of oxygen as cases near 10 million</a>

Furthermore, China has been blamed for concealing the early spread of the virus. Initially, more than 60 countries initially pushed for a probe into the Wuhan virus outbreak and its origins. And now, the list includes over 100 countries.

Chinese propaganda claims it's already a superpower, ready to takeover global institutions and reshape the world. But, the growing disputes, the debt traps and demands to make China pay clearly indicate that Beijing can't impose its rule on the world.

When President Xi Jinping was sworn-in for a second term, he declared that China has now stood up, grown rich, become strong, and is moving towards the centre stage.

When President Xi Jinping was sworn-in for a second term, he declared that China has now stood up, grown rich, become strong, and is moving towards the centre stage. Xi announced that China wants a greater role on the world stage. However, growing disputes, debt-trap diplomacy and lapses during the Covid-19 pandemic are hurting China on the world stage. Let's measure where china stands in the world and how its expansionist agenda has upended the international rules-based order. × Also Read: Pandemic could hit drug markets as in 2008 crisis: United Nations As of today, at least 10 countries have a dispute with China. These disputes range from diplomatic tussles to territorial claims. The United States and Australia are fighting a trade war with China. India is engaged in a border standoff and there are multiple flashpoints on the high seas - the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The list of disputes is much longer, but China buys the silence of many countries. It repossesses smaller countries when they can't keep up with debt payments. Also Read: WHO warns possible lack of oxygen as cases near 10 million Furthermore, China has been blamed for concealing the early spread of the virus. Initially, more than 60 countries initially pushed for a probe into the Wuhan virus outbreak and its origins. And now, the list includes over 100 countries. Chinese propaganda claims it's already a superpower, ready to takeover global institutions and reshape the world. But, the growing disputes, the debt traps and demands to make China pay clearly indicate that Beijing can't impose its rule on the world.

Where does China stand on the world stage?

India and China have begun disengagement at the three flashpoints along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).&nbsp;

Chinese and Indian military commanders arrived at a consensus on the “outstanding issues” and agreed to take necessary measures to “cool down” the situation at their borders after 11 hours of marathon talks&nbsp;

However, Reuters has published satellite images which claim that China has built new and extensive structures near the site where the forces on both sides clashed.

China's military aggression is alarming and world leaders have expressed concern about it.&nbsp;

British prime minister Boris Johnson has called on India and China to engage in dialogue to sort out their border issues as he described the escalation in eastern Ladakh as “a very serious and worrying situation” which the UK is closely monitoring. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/where-does-china-stand-on-the-world-stage-308612">Also Read: Where does China stand on the world stage?</a>

Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticised the Chinese Army for "escalating" the border tension with India.&nbsp;

China's expansionism is a matter of global concern, the Japanese defence minister Taro Kono raised concern about China''s increasingly assertive activity in regional seas and skies.

“China is trying to change the status quo unilaterally in East China Sea, South China Sea and with Indian border and Hong Kong as well,” Kono said.&nbsp;

The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in the standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.&nbsp;

20 Indian Army personnel died in action during a violent face-off between the troops of both the countries in Galwan Valley on June 15.&nbsp;

India and China have begun disengagement at the three flashpoints along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese and Indian military commanders arrived at a consensus on the “outstanding issues” and agreed to take necessary measures to “cool down” the situation at their borders after 11 hours of marathon talks However, Reuters has published satellite images which claim that China has built new and extensive structures near the site where the forces on both sides clashed.

India and China have begun disengagement at the three flashpoints along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese and Indian military commanders arrived at a consensus on the “outstanding issues” and agreed to take necessary measures to “cool down” the situation at their borders after 11 hours of marathon talks However, Reuters has published satellite images which claim that China has built new and extensive structures near the site where the forces on both sides clashed. China's military aggression is alarming and world leaders have expressed concern about it. British prime minister Boris Johnson has called on India and China to engage in dialogue to sort out their border issues as he described the escalation in eastern Ladakh as “a very serious and worrying situation” which the UK is closely monitoring. Also Read: Where does China stand on the world stage? Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticised the Chinese Army for "escalating" the border tension with India. China's expansionism is a matter of global concern, the Japanese defence minister Taro Kono raised concern about China''s increasingly assertive activity in regional seas and skies. “China is trying to change the status quo unilaterally in East China Sea, South China Sea and with Indian border and Hong Kong as well,” Kono said. The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in the standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. 20 Indian Army personnel died in action during a violent face-off between the troops of both the countries in Galwan Valley on June 15.

India-China standoff: Beijing's expansionism a matter of global concern

China's foreign ministry said that around 20 per cent of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been "seriously affected" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/how-coronavirus-impacts-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-283369">Also Read; How coronavirus impacts China's Belt and Road initiative</a>

"As the situation improves we have confidence that the projects will come back and the execution of them will speed up," Wang Xiaolong, director-general of the ministry's International Economic Affairs Department, said.

China's controversial BRI project has been in the eye of the storm with the country having given large sums of money as loans. As the coronavirus pandemic spread, several countries have been looking for a loan waiver.

The Chinese official asserted that there were no reports of any projects being cancelled due to the virus even as several countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia had earlier complained about the huge costs involved in the project.

The Chinese ministry said about "40 per cent of projects have seen little adverse impact, and another 30-40 per cent have been somewhat affected".&nbsp;

The ambitious project is President's Xi's pet project which intends to extend road and railway network through Asia, Europe and Africa including linking seaports in a bid to boost trade.

China has given loans worth $460 billion to several countries so far with over 140 countries having signed up the BRI project so far including Iran and Pakistan.

In April as the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold in Pakistan, authorities ordered the resumption of the project called the phase-II&nbsp;of Sino-Pakistani Industrial Cooperation.

Last month, Hungary's Parliament had voted to ratify a bill to keep details of China-financed Budapest-Belgrade railway track a secret as it could "threaten Hungary's ability to pursue its foreign policy and trade interests without undue external influence".

Under the agreement, Hungary will be financing 85 percent of the investment costs -- estimated to be at least $2.2 billion from credit and the remaining 15 per cent from its funds.

China's foreign ministry said that around 20 per cent of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been "seriously affected" due to the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read; How coronavirus impacts China's Belt and Road initiative "As the situation improves we have confidence that the projects will come back and the execution of them will speed up," Wang Xiaolong, director-general of the ministry's International Economic Affairs Department, said.

China's foreign ministry said that around 20 per cent of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been "seriously affected" due to the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read; How coronavirus impacts China's Belt and Road initiative "As the situation improves we have confidence that the projects will come back and the execution of them will speed up," Wang Xiaolong, director-general of the ministry's International Economic Affairs Department, said. China's controversial BRI project has been in the eye of the storm with the country having given large sums of money as loans. As the coronavirus pandemic spread, several countries have been looking for a loan waiver. The Chinese official asserted that there were no reports of any projects being cancelled due to the virus even as several countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia had earlier complained about the huge costs involved in the project. The Chinese ministry said about "40 per cent of projects have seen little adverse impact, and another 30-40 per cent have been somewhat affected". The ambitious project is President's Xi's pet project which intends to extend road and railway network through Asia, Europe and Africa including linking seaports in a bid to boost trade. China has given loans worth $460 billion to several countries so far with over 140 countries having signed up the BRI project so far including Iran and Pakistan. In April as the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold in Pakistan, authorities ordered the resumption of the project called the phase-II of Sino-Pakistani Industrial Cooperation. Last month, Hungary's Parliament had voted to ratify a bill to keep details of China-financed Budapest-Belgrade railway track a secret as it could "threaten Hungary's ability to pursue its foreign policy and trade interests without undue external influence". Under the agreement, Hungary will be financing 85 percent of the investment costs -- estimated to be at least $2.2 billion from credit and the remaining 15 per cent from its funds.

20% Belt and Road Initiative 'seriously affected' due to coronavirus: China

An Indian citizen was killed in indiscriminate firing by Nepal police at the Bihar border. The Prime Minister of Nepal has repeatedly blamed India for the Wuhan virus. Is it time for India to set the record straight? WION's palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Nepal's dangerous brinkmanship against India

The Wuhan virus is not slowing down. The global cases have crossed 82,00,000. India is on the fourth spot in the global tally.

Gravitas: The Wuhan virus is not slowing down

President Xi Jinping is often described as the most powerful Chinese president since Mao Zedong. But his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has dented his popularity. Watch report.

Chinese State Media: President Xi Jinping predicted 'President of the people'

China claims to have cured 92% of Coronavirus cases using traditional medicine. These claims are being globally criticised for the lack of evidence. But, President Xi Jinping thinks it is his national duty to promote traditional Chinese medicine. What if it costs lives across the world yet again?

Gravitas: Xi Jinping turns salesman for Traditional Chinese Medicine

As Nepal tried to drive-up its criticism of India over the border dispute, it found an unlikely adversary. It's the chief minister of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh - Yogi Adityanath. His words did not go down well with the Nepalese Prime Minister.

Gravitas: Nepal blames India for Wuhan virus

The study, by researchers from Harvard medical school, Boston University of Public Health and Boston children’s hospital suggests that Coronavirus may have been originate in August 2019.

Coronavirus may have been in Wuhan in August: Study

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held India’s first virtual bilateral summit with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. To watch the well-planned format of the conference was impressive, yet, at the same time, unnerving. Each leader spoke and then reacted. But it was certainly not what the public was used to viewing. As India prepares to enter a post-COVID-19 lockdown world, the summit gave people a clear indication of what the new ‘normal’ will be. Virtual conferences, summits and increased use of digital interaction is not going anywhere in the near future. And it will most certainly impact India’s foreign relations. &nbsp;

The first PM Modi government redefined India’s foreign relations in his first term both in content and panache. By 2019, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind that India stood on the international stage as a nation that influenced international relations. To add to that, soft power features like yoga and Bollywood also elevated India’s status as in influencer versus being influenced. &nbsp;

At the beginning of his second term, PM Modi wasted absolutely no time. Literally. Immediately after taking his oath as at the swearing-in ceremony, PM Modi met world leaders to discuss the path ahead. Race ahead to the first year anniversary of the Modi 2.0 government. India made successful outreaches to India’s strategic maritime partners including Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India also strengthened extremely strategic ties with the United States in trade and defence. In the recent bilateral summit, Australian PM Morrison said that he missed the infamous ‘Modi hug.’ It just goes to show how positively PM Modi has engaged global leaders. &nbsp;

At present, there are trying circumstances for India’s foreign policy. An ongoing issue is bringing home stranded Indians via the Vande Bharat Mission. Article 370 met a lot of resistance from the Opposition. Misunderstandings about the Citizenship Amendment Bill broke into misinformed riots. The bill gives citizenship a dignified life for religiously persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Coming out of COVID-19, relations with China are already proving to be a challenge with recent skirmishes at the LAC. 
 
Terrorism from Pakistan also continues. To add to that, India’s economy will take some time to bounce back. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic brings the most uncertainty for foreign relations. As compared with other nations, India’s casualty rate remains low. However, the number of recent cases has shot up in the past few weeks. India may or may not see a peak in cases like the United States and Italy. What does this mean? Even as the lockdown is slowly phasing out in India, it is quite evident that coronavirus is not going away for a while. As citizens adjust to a new normal, Indian international relations also need to adjust to a new normal.&nbsp;

Just a few weeks ago, PM Modi wrote a letter on LinkedIn to citizens. He encouraged young students and working professionals to find ways of rebuilding and reforming digitally. Like citizens digitizing at a micro-scale, PM Modi must also rebuild and reform government structure digitally. Going forward, international relations, including decision-making, will be based heavily on digital platforms and technological communication. &nbsp;

The Centre should use this time to digitize individual Ministries and help individual bodies of the government technologically get up to speed. Furthermore, there are several nations that have handled the COVID-19 pandemic comparatively better than others. Examples include Germany and Uruguay. These countries’ economies will recover faster as compared to those struggling with the pandemic. This will result in their economic and international influence increasing internationally. Before India sees its spike in coronavirus cases, PM Modi should look at the practicality of implementing some of these countries’ methodologies for COVID-19.&nbsp;

Economically, PM Modi has already reached out to national leaders on ways to diversify exports. The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package aims to make India self-reliant. India should take one more step and ramp up domestic manufacturing capability. PM Modi should also find ways to encourage more FDI. One way to do this is to provide incentives and encourage multi-national corporations to set base in India. Japan is allegedly incentivizing home-based companies to not put up institutions in China. India should encourage such companies to set up in India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the status quo, the nation(s) which officially come(s) up with the vaccine for COVID-19 will enjoy substantial soft power. If President Trump stays in power, the USA will always act in India’s favour over China economically, for defence and for trade. &nbsp;

It is unclear how overall global relations will be post-COVID-19. This means that India must take time now to both build and redefine international relations. As international interactions will be via digital means for the foreseeable future, costs are lower. to enhance relationships. Normally, relations are boosted through tours and foreign visits. As small as this amount of money is, it can be used very effectively by the Centre to digitize itself completely. The Government of India should simultaneously increase domestic manufacturing capability and with that diversify exports. Dependency on China will decrease for good as well if India can achieve this. As a result, India will easily be positioned as a post-pandemic global leader. Even better, a leader with strong, positive international relations that can only be strengthened in new ‘normal’ times.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held India’s first virtual bilateral summit with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. To watch the well-planned format of the conference was impressive, yet, at the same time, unnerving.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held India’s first virtual bilateral summit with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. To watch the well-planned format of the conference was impressive, yet, at the same time, unnerving. Each leader spoke and then reacted. But it was certainly not what the public was used to viewing. As India prepares to enter a post-COVID-19 lockdown world, the summit gave people a clear indication of what the new ‘normal’ will be. Virtual conferences, summits and increased use of digital interaction is not going anywhere in the near future. And it will most certainly impact India’s foreign relations. The first PM Modi government redefined India’s foreign relations in his first term both in content and panache. By 2019, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind that India stood on the international stage as a nation that influenced international relations. To add to that, soft power features like yoga and Bollywood also elevated India’s status as in influencer versus being influenced. At the beginning of his second term, PM Modi wasted absolutely no time. Literally. Immediately after taking his oath as at the swearing-in ceremony, PM Modi met world leaders to discuss the path ahead. Race ahead to the first year anniversary of the Modi 2.0 government. India made successful outreaches to India’s strategic maritime partners including Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India also strengthened extremely strategic ties with the United States in trade and defence. In the recent bilateral summit, Australian PM Morrison said that he missed the infamous ‘Modi hug.’ It just goes to show how positively PM Modi has engaged global leaders. At present, there are trying circumstances for India’s foreign policy. An ongoing issue is bringing home stranded Indians via the Vande Bharat Mission. Article 370 met a lot of resistance from the Opposition. Misunderstandings about the Citizenship Amendment Bill broke into misinformed riots. The bill gives citizenship a dignified life for religiously persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Coming out of COVID-19, relations with China are already proving to be a challenge with recent skirmishes at the LAC. Terrorism from Pakistan also continues. To add to that, India’s economy will take some time to bounce back. The COVID-19 pandemic brings the most uncertainty for foreign relations. As compared with other nations, India’s casualty rate remains low. However, the number of recent cases has shot up in the past few weeks. India may or may not see a peak in cases like the United States and Italy. What does this mean? Even as the lockdown is slowly phasing out in India, it is quite evident that coronavirus is not going away for a while. As citizens adjust to a new normal, Indian international relations also need to adjust to a new normal. Just a few weeks ago, PM Modi wrote a letter on LinkedIn to citizens. He encouraged young students and working professionals to find ways of rebuilding and reforming digitally. Like citizens digitizing at a micro-scale, PM Modi must also rebuild and reform government structure digitally. Going forward, international relations, including decision-making, will be based heavily on digital platforms and technological communication. The Centre should use this time to digitize individual Ministries and help individual bodies of the government technologically get up to speed. Furthermore, there are several nations that have handled the COVID-19 pandemic comparatively better than others. Examples include Germany and Uruguay. These countries’ economies will recover faster as compared to those struggling with the pandemic. This will result in their economic and international influence increasing internationally. Before India sees its spike in coronavirus cases, PM Modi should look at the practicality of implementing some of these countries’ methodologies for COVID-19. Economically, PM Modi has already reached out to national leaders on ways to diversify exports. The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package aims to make India self-reliant. India should take one more step and ramp up domestic manufacturing capability. PM Modi should also find ways to encourage more FDI. One way to do this is to provide incentives and encourage multi-national corporations to set base in India. Japan is allegedly incentivizing home-based companies to not put up institutions in China. India should encourage such companies to set up in India. In the status quo, the nation(s) which officially come(s) up with the vaccine for COVID-19 will enjoy substantial soft power. If President Trump stays in power, the USA will always act in India’s favour over China economically, for defence and for trade. It is unclear how overall global relations will be post-COVID-19. This means that India must take time now to both build and redefine international relations. As international interactions will be via digital means for the foreseeable future, costs are lower. to enhance relationships. Normally, relations are boosted through tours and foreign visits. As small as this amount of money is, it can be used very effectively by the Centre to digitize itself completely. The Government of India should simultaneously increase domestic manufacturing capability and with that diversify exports. Dependency on China will decrease for good as well if India can achieve this. As a result, India will easily be positioned as a post-pandemic global leader. Even better, a leader with strong, positive international relations that can only be strengthened in new ‘normal’ times. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Steps India must take for strong foreign relations post COVID-19 

China dismissed Harvard Medical School research which stated that novel coronavirus might have been spreading in China as early as August. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, asked about the research at a daily press briefing on Tuesday, dismissed the findings.

China dismissed Harvard Medical School research which stated that novel coronavirus might have been spreading in China as early as August. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, asked about the research at a daily press briefing on Tuesday, dismissed the findings. Also read: Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images "I think it is ridiculous, incredibly ridiculous, to come up with this conclusion based on superficial observations such as traffic volume," she said. The research used satellite imagery of hospital parking lots in Wuhan - where the disease was first identified in late 2019 - and data for symptom-related queries on search engines for things such as "cough" and "diarrhoea". "Increased hospital traffic and symptom search data in Wuhan preceded the documented start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in December 2019," according to the research. In Pics: What we know about new coronavirus outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan The analysts used images from October 2018 and counted 171 cars in Tianyou Hospital, one of the largest in Wuhan. However, a year later, there were 285 vehicles parked in the same area, marking an increase of 67%. They also found that there was a 90% influx in traffic at other hospitals in the city. Additionally, China’s search engine Baidu witnessed a lot of search logs regarding infectious diseases. Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,113,366 people have had the virus, while 406,413 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago.

China calls Harvard Medical School research on spread of virus in August 'incredibly ridiculous'

If sabotaging vaccine research was not enough, China is now promoting its traditional medicine as a cure for the Wuhan virus. China claims to have cured 92 per cent of the cases using its age-old concoctions. But, there is no evidence to prove their effectiveness.

Xi Jinping is promoting 'Traditional Chinese Medicine'

Indian PM Narendra Modi's call to localize industries, India apex traders association has also announced a launch of a massive campaign to boycott Chinese products. Watch report.

A call to boycott China amid COVID-19 pandemic: Push for 'Vocal' 'Local' campaign

Norwegian and British vaccine scientists have published <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DBBC0FA6E3763B0067CAAD8F3363E527/S2633289220000083a.pdf/biovacc19_a_candidate_vaccine_for_covid19_sarscov2_developed_from_analysis_of_its_general_method_of_action_for_infectivity.pdf">unequivocal evidence</a> that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is man-made.

The authors state two conclusions: (1) the mutations that would normally be seen in the course of animal to human transmission have not occurred in SARS-CoV-2, indicating that it was fully “pre-adapted” for human infection and (2) SARS-CoV-2 has insertions in its protein sequence that have never been detected in nature and contribute to its infectivity and pathogenicity.

That is, SARS-CoV-2 has a receptor binding domain specifically designed for the human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 receptor (ACE2) found in lungs, kidneys, intestines and blood vessels.

In addition, SARS-CoV-2 has a furin polybasic cleavage site not found in any closely-related bat coronaviruses as well as other artificially inserted charged amino acids that enhance the virus’ ability to bind to and enter human cells by forming “salt bridges” between the virus and the cell surface.

Those modifications are key to understanding the unique transmissibility and potency of SARS-CoV-2.

The authors explain that the COVID-19 pandemic is revealing neurological, haematological and immunological pathogenicity, which cannot be explained by infectivity via the ACE2 receptor alone.

There have been wide-ranging clinical observations such as a loss of taste and smell, sore throat, dry cough, headache and severe gastrointestinal pain with diarrhoea.

SARS-CoV-2 binding to the bitter/sweet receptors in the upper respiratory tract provides a perfect location for transmission by coughing.

According to the authors, oral and upper respiratory infection can lead to transmission to the lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal effects and a cascade of inflammation-producing immunological responses.

The wide-spread systemic release of the virus, due to its co-receptor enhancement, &nbsp;could explain the multiple clinical findings on the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2763846">cardiovascular system</a>, <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/21/coronavirus-hijacks-cells-in-unique-ways/">immunological T-cells</a>, cells associated with <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/covid-19-brain-symptoms.html">neuropathological </a>conditions and, finally, the severe hypoxia seen in advanced cases of the disease.

As the authors correctly note, the development of an effective vaccine cannot be accomplished without an objective analysis of the structure of SARS-CoV-2, its mode of action and its origin.

That effort has been hampered by China’s refusal to fully disclose the information it possesses, in conjunction with a politically-motivated scientific misinformation campaign by Beijing to avoid responsibility, by some Western scientists with a vested interest in the outcome and by an uninformed and servile media.

That includes the editorial decisions of scientific and medical journals, which seem to favour, overwhelmingly, the narrative that the COVID-19 pandemic is just another naturally-occurring outbreak, even to the extent of censoring opposing views.

Until now, the cover-up of the true origin of the COVID-19 pandemic has been successful.

No less than the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the United States has blindly accepted the scientific “conventional wisdom” promoted by the Chinese Communist Party, issuing the following April 30, 2020 statement:

“The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.”

Remarkedly, there has never been conclusive scientific evidence to support that claim, yet many appear content endorsing the naturally-occurring narrative, mostly out of ignorance or an unwillingness to accept the ugly truth.

That ugly truth is - China manufactured SARS-CoV-2 and, through a combination of hubris, incompetence and recklessness, unleashed it on the world.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Norwegian and British vaccine scientists have published unequivocal evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is man-made.

Norwegian and British vaccine scientists have published unequivocal evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is man-made. The authors state two conclusions: (1) the mutations that would normally be seen in the course of animal to human transmission have not occurred in SARS-CoV-2, indicating that it was fully “pre-adapted” for human infection and (2) SARS-CoV-2 has insertions in its protein sequence that have never been detected in nature and contribute to its infectivity and pathogenicity. That is, SARS-CoV-2 has a receptor binding domain specifically designed for the human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 receptor (ACE2) found in lungs, kidneys, intestines and blood vessels. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 has a furin polybasic cleavage site not found in any closely-related bat coronaviruses as well as other artificially inserted charged amino acids that enhance the virus’ ability to bind to and enter human cells by forming “salt bridges” between the virus and the cell surface. Those modifications are key to understanding the unique transmissibility and potency of SARS-CoV-2. The authors explain that the COVID-19 pandemic is revealing neurological, haematological and immunological pathogenicity, which cannot be explained by infectivity via the ACE2 receptor alone. There have been wide-ranging clinical observations such as a loss of taste and smell, sore throat, dry cough, headache and severe gastrointestinal pain with diarrhoea. SARS-CoV-2 binding to the bitter/sweet receptors in the upper respiratory tract provides a perfect location for transmission by coughing. According to the authors, oral and upper respiratory infection can lead to transmission to the lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal effects and a cascade of inflammation-producing immunological responses. The wide-spread systemic release of the virus, due to its co-receptor enhancement, could explain the multiple clinical findings on the cardiovascular system, immunological T-cells, cells associated with neuropathological conditions and, finally, the severe hypoxia seen in advanced cases of the disease. As the authors correctly note, the development of an effective vaccine cannot be accomplished without an objective analysis of the structure of SARS-CoV-2, its mode of action and its origin. That effort has been hampered by China’s refusal to fully disclose the information it possesses, in conjunction with a politically-motivated scientific misinformation campaign by Beijing to avoid responsibility, by some Western scientists with a vested interest in the outcome and by an uninformed and servile media. That includes the editorial decisions of scientific and medical journals, which seem to favour, overwhelmingly, the narrative that the COVID-19 pandemic is just another naturally-occurring outbreak, even to the extent of censoring opposing views. Until now, the cover-up of the true origin of the COVID-19 pandemic has been successful. No less than the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the United States has blindly accepted the scientific “conventional wisdom” promoted by the Chinese Communist Party, issuing the following April 30, 2020 statement: “The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.” Remarkedly, there has never been conclusive scientific evidence to support that claim, yet many appear content endorsing the naturally-occurring narrative, mostly out of ignorance or an unwillingness to accept the ugly truth. That ugly truth is - China manufactured SARS-CoV-2 and, through a combination of hubris, incompetence and recklessness, unleashed it on the world. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

COVID-19 virus has properties that have never been found in nature before

Is considering a genetic-manipulation origin for SARS-CoV-2 a conspiracy theory that must be censored?

That is the title of a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340924249_Is_considering_a_genetic-manipulation_origin_for_SARS-CoV-2_a_conspiracy_theory_that_must_be_censored">new scientific analysis</a> of the structure of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the course of answering that question, the authors provide unequivocal evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was not naturally-occurring.

The theory that the Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was the first source for animal–human viral transmission, long promoted by China, some Western scientists and the media, is now totally<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/the-chinese-cdc-now-says-the-coronavirus-didnt-jump-to-people-at-the-wuhan-wet-market-instead-it-was-the-site-of-a-super-spreader-event/articleshow/76081634.cms"> discredited</a>, even by the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The claim that COVID-19 is a naturally-occurring outbreak has been based, nearly entirely, on a single, but widely-cited scientific article entitled “The Proximal Origin of SAR-CoV-2,” the arguments of which are thoroughly dissected and dismantled by the authors of the present study.

Although China is now promoting a new “multiple origin” theory based on alleged genetic differences observed in the virus taken from a small sample of Chinese COVID-19 patients and published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwaa036/5775463">March</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2355-0">May</a>, the validity and significance of those findings are already in <a href="https://virological.org/t/response-to-on-the-origin-and-continuing-evolution-of-sars-cov-2/418">dispute</a>.

There remains no credible scientific evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic was naturally-occurring.

The evidence to the contrary, that the coronavirus responsible, SARS-CoV-2, was man-made is now substantial.

The most conspicuous sign of genetic manipulation is the presence of a furin polybasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2, a structure that is not present in any of the coronaviruses so far identified as possible recent ancestors.

According to the new study, the furin site was created by a genetic, nucleotide insertion that coded for amino acids proline, arginine, arginine, alanine (PRRA). The two arginines are coded by nucleotide “codons,” consisting of a sequence of three nucleotides each, CGG-CGG.

The codon CGG is rare. Only 5% of arginines are coded by CGG in SARS-CoV-2 or its closest identified bat coronavirus relative, RaTG13 and it is the only instance of a double CGG-CGG codon.

Also, the CGG-CGG insert includes a FauI restriction site, of which there are six instances in SAR-CoV-2, a “marker” used in cloning and the screening of genetic mutations.

Engineering of the cleavage sites can make a coronavirus more dangerous because furin is an enzyme found in multiple human organ systems.

Such a modification may have given SARS-CoV-2 the ability to infect cells and organs otherwise insensitive to unaltered coronaviruses.

Furthermore, the authors suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is a chimer, an artificially-created virus consisting of a pangolin (scaly anteater) receptor protein “spliced” onto a bat coronavirus backbone.

This ground-breaking article concludes:

“Due to the gravity of SARS-CoV-2 impact on humanity, researchers have the responsibility to carry out a thorough analysis, beyond any personal research interests, of all possible causes for SARS-CoV-2 emergence. Unfortunately, theories that consider a possible artificial origin for SARS-CoV-2 are censored by international scientific journals as they seem to support conspiracy theories. Genetic manipulation of SARS-CoV-2 may have been carried out in any laboratory in the world with access to the backbone sequence and the necessary equipment. New technologies based on synthetic genetics platforms even allow the reconstruction of viruses based on their genomic sequence, without the need of a natural isolate.”

Either the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is the product of a highly improbable and still unknown sequence of naturally-occurring coincidences or it is a laboratory creation.

You decide. 
 
&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Is considering a genetic-manipulation origin for SARS-CoV-2 a conspiracy theory that must be censored? That is the title of a new scientific analysis of the structure of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is considering a genetic-manipulation origin for SARS-CoV-2 a conspiracy theory that must be censored? That is the title of a new scientific analysis of the structure of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. In the course of answering that question, the authors provide unequivocal evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was not naturally-occurring. The theory that the Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was the first source for animal–human viral transmission, long promoted by China, some Western scientists and the media, is now totally discredited, even by the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The claim that COVID-19 is a naturally-occurring outbreak has been based, nearly entirely, on a single, but widely-cited scientific article entitled “The Proximal Origin of SAR-CoV-2,” the arguments of which are thoroughly dissected and dismantled by the authors of the present study. Although China is now promoting a new “multiple origin” theory based on alleged genetic differences observed in the virus taken from a small sample of Chinese COVID-19 patients and published in March and May, the validity and significance of those findings are already in dispute. There remains no credible scientific evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic was naturally-occurring. The evidence to the contrary, that the coronavirus responsible, SARS-CoV-2, was man-made is now substantial. The most conspicuous sign of genetic manipulation is the presence of a furin polybasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2, a structure that is not present in any of the coronaviruses so far identified as possible recent ancestors. According to the new study, the furin site was created by a genetic, nucleotide insertion that coded for amino acids proline, arginine, arginine, alanine (PRRA). The two arginines are coded by nucleotide “codons,” consisting of a sequence of three nucleotides each, CGG-CGG. The codon CGG is rare. Only 5% of arginines are coded by CGG in SARS-CoV-2 or its closest identified bat coronavirus relative, RaTG13 and it is the only instance of a double CGG-CGG codon. Also, the CGG-CGG insert includes a FauI restriction site, of which there are six instances in SAR-CoV-2, a “marker” used in cloning and the screening of genetic mutations. Engineering of the cleavage sites can make a coronavirus more dangerous because furin is an enzyme found in multiple human organ systems. Such a modification may have given SARS-CoV-2 the ability to infect cells and organs otherwise insensitive to unaltered coronaviruses. Furthermore, the authors suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is a chimer, an artificially-created virus consisting of a pangolin (scaly anteater) receptor protein “spliced” onto a bat coronavirus backbone. This ground-breaking article concludes: “Due to the gravity of SARS-CoV-2 impact on humanity, researchers have the responsibility to carry out a thorough analysis, beyond any personal research interests, of all possible causes for SARS-CoV-2 emergence. Unfortunately, theories that consider a possible artificial origin for SARS-CoV-2 are censored by international scientific journals as they seem to support conspiracy theories. Genetic manipulation of SARS-CoV-2 may have been carried out in any laboratory in the world with access to the backbone sequence and the necessary equipment. New technologies based on synthetic genetics platforms even allow the reconstruction of viruses based on their genomic sequence, without the need of a natural isolate.” Either the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is the product of a highly improbable and still unknown sequence of naturally-occurring coincidences or it is a laboratory creation. You decide. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Evidence suggests genetic manipulation in COVID-19

China has been cracking down on a growing number of officials in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. This time, the anti-graft watchdog has stretched its arms to the far western region of Xinjiang.

A high-level official in northwest Xinjiang region, where Muslim minorities have been held in internment camps, has come under investigation by the country's anti-corruption agency.

Ren Hua, the 56-year-old vice chairwoman of the region, is suspected of "serious violations of discipline and law", a euphemism for corruption, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beijing-slams-taiwans-call-on-china-to-apologise-for-tiananmen-crackdown-as-nonsense-302911">Also Read: Beijing slams Taiwan’s call on China to apologise for Tiananmen crackdown</a>

Ren is the fifth senior official to be investigated this year. Ren Hua started off as a clerk in the communist party's regional office in Xinjiang in 1986.

Since the start of the year, Xinjiang's regional corruption watchdog has detained - a former deputy mayor, a former deputy director of the transport and a former deputy commissioner.

This is a crackdown on former senior officials who served in the Xinjiang province which is the most-intensely monitored region in China. Beijing&nbsp;has peddled unfounded claims of terrorist threats, and thus, these investigations don't look like an anti-corruption drive, but political vendetta - an attempt to consolidate power. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-introduce-bill-criminalising-criticism-of-traditional-medicine-302968">&nbsp;Also Read: China to introduce bill criminalising criticism of traditional medicine</a>

The power struggle seems to have reached the top and now it's a fight between President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Kequiang.&nbsp;

At a recent gathering, Li said that China must leave room for fiscal, financial and social security policies. "China now faces a daunting task in slashing absolute poverty due to the COVID-19 impact," he said.

In response, Xi is said to have criticised Li's welfare approach as such a wide-ranging poverty alleviation scheme would put more curbs on government spending on infrastructure. 
 
It would hamper China's big lending operations across the world, most importantly, it would weaken Xi's position as a leader who could not take China back to its economic heights. 
 
China''s economy contracted to 6.8 per cent in the first quarter for the first time since 1976 due to coronavirus lockdowns. Beijing has suffered a blow to its international image, with the world pointing fingers at China for the pandemic that has infected nearly six&nbsp;million people around the world while claiming over 3 lakh lives.

Beijing-backed crackdowns on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong has also sparked an international backlash.

(With inputs from AFP)

China has been cracking down on a growing number of officials in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. This time, the anti-graft watchdog has stretched its arms to the far western region of Xinjiang.

China has been cracking down on a growing number of officials in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. This time, the anti-graft watchdog has stretched its arms to the far western region of Xinjiang. A high-level official in northwest Xinjiang region, where Muslim minorities have been held in internment camps, has come under investigation by the country's anti-corruption agency. Ren Hua, the 56-year-old vice chairwoman of the region, is suspected of "serious violations of discipline and law", a euphemism for corruption, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Also Read: Beijing slams Taiwan’s call on China to apologise for Tiananmen crackdown Ren is the fifth senior official to be investigated this year. Ren Hua started off as a clerk in the communist party's regional office in Xinjiang in 1986. Since the start of the year, Xinjiang's regional corruption watchdog has detained - a former deputy mayor, a former deputy director of the transport and a former deputy commissioner. This is a crackdown on former senior officials who served in the Xinjiang province which is the most-intensely monitored region in China. Beijing has peddled unfounded claims of terrorist threats, and thus, these investigations don't look like an anti-corruption drive, but political vendetta - an attempt to consolidate power. Also Read: China to introduce bill criminalising criticism of traditional medicine The power struggle seems to have reached the top and now it's a fight between President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Kequiang. At a recent gathering, Li said that China must leave room for fiscal, financial and social security policies. "China now faces a daunting task in slashing absolute poverty due to the COVID-19 impact," he said. In response, Xi is said to have criticised Li's welfare approach as such a wide-ranging poverty alleviation scheme would put more curbs on government spending on infrastructure. It would hamper China's big lending operations across the world, most importantly, it would weaken Xi's position as a leader who could not take China back to its economic heights. China''s economy contracted to 6.8 per cent in the first quarter for the first time since 1976 due to coronavirus lockdowns. Beijing has suffered a blow to its international image, with the world pointing fingers at China for the pandemic that has infected nearly six million people around the world while claiming over 3 lakh lives. Beijing-backed crackdowns on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong has also sparked an international backlash. (With inputs from AFP)

Is Xi Jinping consolidating power in the name of fighting corruption?

According to the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-rules-out-animal-market-and-lab-as-coronavirus-origin-11590517508">Wall Street Journal</a>, China has now backed away from its claim that the COVID-19 outbreak originated in the Wuhan Seafood Market through transmission from animals to humans.

Since the onset of the pandemic, China has flooded the scientific literature with that claim, but now has been forced to admit that it is false.

The search for the truth has been hampered by the global media, which have been eagerly and uncritically regurgitating the Chinese Communist Party’s narrative that COVID-19 is naturally-occurring.

That is, while circulating in animals, a bat coronavirus mutated, perhaps through another intermediate animal host, acquiring the ability to infect humans, presumably workers in the market.

That argument was never scientifically viable.

It was already known by the end of January 2020, that the initial patients hospitalized between December 1-10, 2019 had <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext">not visited</a> the market and bats were <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7079563/">not sold</a> there.

The environmental samples taken from the Wuhan Seafood Market were genetically identical to human COVID-19, largely <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.01.073262v1.full">ruling out</a> an intermediate host animal.

More importantly, the same study found that, in a side-by-side comparison of the evolutionary dynamics between COVID-19 and the coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS-CoV pandemic, the early COVID-19 samples were already pre-adapted for human transmission to an extent similar to late epidemic SARS-CoV.

That is, there was no evidence of a naturally-occurring transmission from animals to humans via the Wuhan Seafood Market and no naturally-occurring human adaptation during the course of the outbreak.

COVID-19 was already well-adapted for human infection. That notion is scientifically supported by a structural analysis of COVID-19.

China claims COVID-19 originated in bats, which is probably partially correct.

The viral “backbone” of COVID-19 is likely from bats, but there is conclusive scientific <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9">evidence</a> that COVID-19’s receptor-binding domain within the spike protein is structurally closest to that of pangolins (scaly anteaters) and that its presence in COVID-19 could not have <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.20.052019v1">resulted</a> from a natural recombinant event or convergent evolution.

A pangolin-like receptor binding domain within a spike protein was probably inserted using the same bioengineering techniques used in a study published by Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina and Zheng-Li Shi, the “<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-chinas-bat-woman-hunted-down-viruses-from-sars-to-the-new-coronavirus1/">bat woman</a>” from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

That study described the insertion of the spike protein from a newly isolated bat coronavirus (SHC014) onto the “backbone” from SARS-CoV, the coronavirus responsible for the 2003 pandemic.

In a December 9, 2019 <a href="https://www.zerohedge.com/health/tracing-origins-covid-19">interview</a>, Dr. Peter Daszak, President of the EcoHealth Alliance and a long-time collaborator with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, presumably referring to the Ralph Baric- Zheng-Li Shi experiments, stated “you can manipulate them in the lab pretty easily” inserting a spike protein “into a backbone of another virus.”

Furthermore, there is no credible scientific evidence that COVID-19’s furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in the spike protein, a distinctive feature widely known for its ability to enhance <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6832359/">pathogenicity</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12250-020-00212-7">transmissibility </a>and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276520302641#bib38">not present</a> in any closely related bat coronavirus, could have evolved naturally.

In contrast, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276520302641#bib38">methods</a> for artificially inserting such cleavage sites are well-established.

In 2017, Chinese scientists Xing-Yi Ge and “bat woman” Zheng-Li Shi of the Wuhan Institute of Virology <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12985-017-0766-9">found </a>the same furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in a rat coronavirus.

It was Xing-Yi Ge, in 2020, who identified the furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in COVID-19.

It was Zheng-Li Shi, who, in February 2020, first <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7091172/">reported</a> on the previously unknown bat coronavirus, RaTG13, which has an overall 96.2% structurally similarity to COVID-19, but the receptor-binding domain was <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9">significantly different</a> from COVID-19 and RaTG13 did not have a furin polybasic cleavage site.

It seems likely that bat coronavirus RaTG13 or something similar was used as a “backbone” to which a pangolin-like receptor binding domain within a spike protein was inserted, followed by the addition of a furin polybasic cleavage site.

Further human adaptation could have been achieved by sequential passage through “humanized” animal models described by Peter Daszak, used in the above-mentioned experiments by Ralph Baric and Zheng-Li Shi and <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aalas/cm/2007/00000057/00000005/art00003">published</a> by Chinese scientists.

Given the overwhelming scientific evidence indicating that it is man-made, the burden of proof is now on China to prove COVID-19 is naturally-occurring. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

According to the Wall Street Journal, China has now backed away from its claim that the COVID-19 outbreak originated in the Wuhan Seafood Market through transmission from animals to humans.

According to the Wall Street Journal, China has now backed away from its claim that the COVID-19 outbreak originated in the Wuhan Seafood Market through transmission from animals to humans. Since the onset of the pandemic, China has flooded the scientific literature with that claim, but now has been forced to admit that it is false. The search for the truth has been hampered by the global media, which have been eagerly and uncritically regurgitating the Chinese Communist Party’s narrative that COVID-19 is naturally-occurring. That is, while circulating in animals, a bat coronavirus mutated, perhaps through another intermediate animal host, acquiring the ability to infect humans, presumably workers in the market. That argument was never scientifically viable. It was already known by the end of January 2020, that the initial patients hospitalized between December 1-10, 2019 had not visited the market and bats were not sold there. The environmental samples taken from the Wuhan Seafood Market were genetically identical to human COVID-19, largely ruling out an intermediate host animal. More importantly, the same study found that, in a side-by-side comparison of the evolutionary dynamics between COVID-19 and the coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS-CoV pandemic, the early COVID-19 samples were already pre-adapted for human transmission to an extent similar to late epidemic SARS-CoV. That is, there was no evidence of a naturally-occurring transmission from animals to humans via the Wuhan Seafood Market and no naturally-occurring human adaptation during the course of the outbreak. COVID-19 was already well-adapted for human infection. That notion is scientifically supported by a structural analysis of COVID-19. China claims COVID-19 originated in bats, which is probably partially correct. The viral “backbone” of COVID-19 is likely from bats, but there is conclusive scientific evidence that COVID-19’s receptor-binding domain within the spike protein is structurally closest to that of pangolins (scaly anteaters) and that its presence in COVID-19 could not have resulted from a natural recombinant event or convergent evolution. A pangolin-like receptor binding domain within a spike protein was probably inserted using the same bioengineering techniques used in a study published by Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina and Zheng-Li Shi, the “bat woman” from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. That study described the insertion of the spike protein from a newly isolated bat coronavirus (SHC014) onto the “backbone” from SARS-CoV, the coronavirus responsible for the 2003 pandemic. In a December 9, 2019 interview, Dr. Peter Daszak, President of the EcoHealth Alliance and a long-time collaborator with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, presumably referring to the Ralph Baric- Zheng-Li Shi experiments, stated “you can manipulate them in the lab pretty easily” inserting a spike protein “into a backbone of another virus.” Furthermore, there is no credible scientific evidence that COVID-19’s furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in the spike protein, a distinctive feature widely known for its ability to enhance pathogenicity and transmissibility and not present in any closely related bat coronavirus, could have evolved naturally. In contrast, the methods for artificially inserting such cleavage sites are well-established. In 2017, Chinese scientists Xing-Yi Ge and “bat woman” Zheng-Li Shi of the Wuhan Institute of Virology found the same furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in a rat coronavirus. It was Xing-Yi Ge, in 2020, who identified the furin polybasic cleavage site (RRAR) at the S1/S2 junction in COVID-19. It was Zheng-Li Shi, who, in February 2020, first reported on the previously unknown bat coronavirus, RaTG13, which has an overall 96.2% structurally similarity to COVID-19, but the receptor-binding domain was significantly different from COVID-19 and RaTG13 did not have a furin polybasic cleavage site. It seems likely that bat coronavirus RaTG13 or something similar was used as a “backbone” to which a pangolin-like receptor binding domain within a spike protein was inserted, followed by the addition of a furin polybasic cleavage site. Further human adaptation could have been achieved by sequential passage through “humanized” animal models described by Peter Daszak, used in the above-mentioned experiments by Ralph Baric and Zheng-Li Shi and published by Chinese scientists. Given the overwhelming scientific evidence indicating that it is man-made, the burden of proof is now on China to prove COVID-19 is naturally-occurring. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Tracing the origins: COVID-19 is not naturally-occurring

The Wuhan Coronavirus has infected nearly 55,50,000 people worldwide. India now ranks 10th on the list of the worst affected countries in the world. #Gravitas #WuhanVirus #COVID-19

Gravitas: Wuhan Coronavirus: Nearly 55,50,000 infected worldwide

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of&nbsp;coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus.

The health tracking QR codes, which have played a key part in the country’s fight against coronavirus, now look set to play a much broader role in daily life as the eastern city of Hangzhou proposed to expand the use of the health codes post-pandemic.

Calling it a firewall to enhance people’s “health and immunity”, officials in Hangzhou plan to use the codes to assign a health status to a citizen, which will be generated through digital medical records. The citizens will be ranked based on their health and lifestyle - how much they exercised, their eating and drinking habits, whether they smoked and even how much they slept the night before. 
 
<a href="Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks">Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks</a>

Hangzhou is home to Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Its affiliate Ant Financial, alongside social media giant Tencent, developed the QR code app. The health QR code was added as a feature on Alipay, one of the largest digital payments systems in China, making it the ultimate surveillance weapon.&nbsp;

According to a report in the Chinese press, authorities can track not just coronavirus infection, but also your financial and transport data. More than one billion people in China are covered by these QR codes now.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-australia-has-more-to-lose-than-china-in-trade-row-301189">Also Read: Why Australia has more to lose than China in trade row</a> 
 
The southern city of Guangzhou has already expanded its health code platform to include services that help residents book online consultations with local hospitals and buy face masks. Fujian province has said it wants to expand its QR codes to encompass medical treatment and drug purchases.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the move has set off a firestorm of criticism from thousands of users on social media, fuelling debate about privacy and data security. 
 
(With inputs from Reuters)

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus.

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus. The health tracking QR codes, which have played a key part in the country’s fight against coronavirus, now look set to play a much broader role in daily life as the eastern city of Hangzhou proposed to expand the use of the health codes post-pandemic. Calling it a firewall to enhance people’s “health and immunity”, officials in Hangzhou plan to use the codes to assign a health status to a citizen, which will be generated through digital medical records. The citizens will be ranked based on their health and lifestyle - how much they exercised, their eating and drinking habits, whether they smoked and even how much they slept the night before. Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks Hangzhou is home to Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Its affiliate Ant Financial, alongside social media giant Tencent, developed the QR code app. The health QR code was added as a feature on Alipay, one of the largest digital payments systems in China, making it the ultimate surveillance weapon. According to a report in the Chinese press, authorities can track not just coronavirus infection, but also your financial and transport data. More than one billion people in China are covered by these QR codes now. Also Read: Why Australia has more to lose than China in trade row The southern city of Guangzhou has already expanded its health code platform to include services that help residents book online consultations with local hospitals and buy face masks. Fujian province has said it wants to expand its QR codes to encompass medical treatment and drug purchases. Meanwhile, the move has set off a firestorm of criticism from thousands of users on social media, fuelling debate about privacy and data security. (With inputs from Reuters)

China's 'health scores' for citizens here to stay?

The annual gathering of the ruling elite of China took place today which is the country's&nbsp;biggest political event of the year.

The Communist Party uses the event to declare its agenda for the year. It was supposed to take place in March but&nbsp;got delayed due to the Wuhan virus. Two months later, China hastily put together the event, just to show the world&nbsp;they have the COVID-19 outbreak under control.

Today was day one and China has been facing pressure on many fronts, so the Communist Party decided to put up a show of strength as Chinese premier Li Keqiang opened the session.

One country, one party and one system - that's the new mantra for the Communist Party which is the absolute power centre&nbsp;of China.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chinas-biggest-annual-political-circus-300487/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A party whose lapses gave the world a pandemic now wants to strengthen its grip beyond mainland China. &nbsp;It is the premier, not the president who speaks even as President Xi Jinping was seated during the entire affair. Premier Li delivered what is called the government's work report. It was basically the agenda of the Chinese government for the year.

There are five big takeaways from today. Firstly, China declared victory against the coronavirus. Two, a controversial new law to control Hong Kong, three, no GDP targets for this year, four, a hike in China's defence budget and finally, the promise of big spending.

However, all the announcements carry one underlying message - the Communist Party is in charge and, its agenda has not been derailed by the coronavirus. The first big takeaway: China has declared victory against the Wuhan virus outbreak.

Premier Li said China has achieved a decisive victory against the disease. Clearly, it is propaganda. China is still fighting the coronavirus since there are fresh wave of cases. Another province was put under lockdown this week. China is just trying to look strong by saying it defeated the virus.

Takeaway number two: China will tighten its grip on Hong Kong. The plan is to impose a new law. It comes with sweeping security measures which allow Beijing greater control over Hong Kong and power to crackdown on anti-government protests.

There was also a message for Taiwan. The Chinese premier dropped the word "peaceful"&nbsp;while referring to the reunification of Taiwan. The message is clear - China wants to curb the autonomy of Hong Kong and Taiwan and it won't hesitate to use force.&nbsp;

Takeaway number three: For the first time since the 1990s, China won't set a GDP target. Beijing can't make a prediction yet after the Wuhan virus destroyed businesses and disrupted supply chains and brought the world to a grinding halt.

China says it is difficult to put a number to the growth right now. Mainly because of the uncertainly in the foreign markets. A situation that was created by the virus from China.

Now, China wants to capitalise. So, it will issue bonds worth one trillion yuan to raise money China is setting aside $179 billion to spend on defence that budget is nearly three times India's defence budget.

Despite the coronavirus hit on the Chinese economy, China has given its defence budget a hike. It is higher by 6.6 per cent compared to last year. Chinese defence forces have remained active despite the pandemic. They have stepped up their activities in the South China Sea and are also active in Taiwan, including along the border with India.

It seems the virus has only added to China's military aggression and this budget only shows that Chinese defence forces will remain proactive.&nbsp;

Finally, takeaway number five: the plans for the economy. However, there is an air of mystery around it. China isn't saying much about its plans for the economy. Growth has contracted by 6.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year but&nbsp;some targets have been set.

China wants to create more than nine million jobs. Last year's target was around 11 million. So, job creation target has dropped by two million. For the first time, there has been no news about treasury bonds. China plans to raise money and spend it to revive the economy.

China's economic data is world famous for its unreliability but its banks are under pressure because of debts.

To sum up,&nbsp;the National People's Congress was high on slogans and low on substance. The military budget gets a boost, but growth may not take off. China is still struggling to control its virus, but it wants to focus more energy on controlling Hong Kong and Taiwan.

As a leader who is facing the biggest political test of his career, both at home and abroad, Xi Jinping's positioning is clear - he wants to say that his plans are on course and that he is completely in control of the situation. The world must brace for a more aggressive and an abrasive China.

The annual gathering of the ruling elite of China took place today which is the country's biggest political event of the year. The Communist Party uses the event to declare its agenda for the year.

The annual gathering of the ruling elite of China took place today which is the country's biggest political event of the year. The Communist Party uses the event to declare its agenda for the year. It was supposed to take place in March but got delayed due to the Wuhan virus. Two months later, China hastily put together the event, just to show the world they have the COVID-19 outbreak under control. Today was day one and China has been facing pressure on many fronts, so the Communist Party decided to put up a show of strength as Chinese premier Li Keqiang opened the session. One country, one party and one system - that's the new mantra for the Communist Party which is the absolute power centre of China. A party whose lapses gave the world a pandemic now wants to strengthen its grip beyond mainland China. It is the premier, not the president who speaks even as President Xi Jinping was seated during the entire affair. Premier Li delivered what is called the government's work report. It was basically the agenda of the Chinese government for the year. There are five big takeaways from today. Firstly, China declared victory against the coronavirus. Two, a controversial new law to control Hong Kong, three, no GDP targets for this year, four, a hike in China's defence budget and finally, the promise of big spending. However, all the announcements carry one underlying message - the Communist Party is in charge and, its agenda has not been derailed by the coronavirus. The first big takeaway: China has declared victory against the Wuhan virus outbreak. Premier Li said China has achieved a decisive victory against the disease. Clearly, it is propaganda. China is still fighting the coronavirus since there are fresh wave of cases. Another province was put under lockdown this week. China is just trying to look strong by saying it defeated the virus. Takeaway number two: China will tighten its grip on Hong Kong. The plan is to impose a new law. It comes with sweeping security measures which allow Beijing greater control over Hong Kong and power to crackdown on anti-government protests. There was also a message for Taiwan. The Chinese premier dropped the word "peaceful" while referring to the reunification of Taiwan. The message is clear - China wants to curb the autonomy of Hong Kong and Taiwan and it won't hesitate to use force. Takeaway number three: For the first time since the 1990s, China won't set a GDP target. Beijing can't make a prediction yet after the Wuhan virus destroyed businesses and disrupted supply chains and brought the world to a grinding halt. China says it is difficult to put a number to the growth right now. Mainly because of the uncertainly in the foreign markets. A situation that was created by the virus from China. Now, China wants to capitalise. So, it will issue bonds worth one trillion yuan to raise money China is setting aside $179 billion to spend on defence that budget is nearly three times India's defence budget. Despite the coronavirus hit on the Chinese economy, China has given its defence budget a hike. It is higher by 6.6 per cent compared to last year. Chinese defence forces have remained active despite the pandemic. They have stepped up their activities in the South China Sea and are also active in Taiwan, including along the border with India. It seems the virus has only added to China's military aggression and this budget only shows that Chinese defence forces will remain proactive. Finally, takeaway number five: the plans for the economy. However, there is an air of mystery around it. China isn't saying much about its plans for the economy. Growth has contracted by 6.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year but some targets have been set. China wants to create more than nine million jobs. Last year's target was around 11 million. So, job creation target has dropped by two million. For the first time, there has been no news about treasury bonds. China plans to raise money and spend it to revive the economy. China's economic data is world famous for its unreliability but its banks are under pressure because of debts. To sum up, the National People's Congress was high on slogans and low on substance. The military budget gets a boost, but growth may not take off. China is still struggling to control its virus, but it wants to focus more energy on controlling Hong Kong and Taiwan. As a leader who is facing the biggest political test of his career, both at home and abroad, Xi Jinping's positioning is clear - he wants to say that his plans are on course and that he is completely in control of the situation. The world must brace for a more aggressive and an abrasive China.

Five big takeaways from China's National People's Congress meet today

By Lai-Ha Chan and Pak K Lee

If the World Health Organization (WHO) wants to maintain its legitimacy on the world stage, it must now answer some tough questions about the extent it has kowtowed to China during the coronavirus pandemic.

It now has a chance to do so, after its members agreed to adopt a resolution for an inquiry into the global handling of the pandemic at a virtual meeting of its annual World Health Assembly on May 19. But there are still many other questions that need to be answered before it can restore its credibility.

We have studied China’s engagement with global health institutions such as the WHO, China’s compliance with global public health norms and how far it succeeds in creating and promoting its own norms around the world. Amid the global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected nearly five million people and killed more than 320,000 in just a few short months, understanding the relationship between China, where the outbreak began, and the WHO is crucial to the future of global public health.

Uncritical of China

The WHO’s leadership has come under unprecedented scrutiny during the pandemic for giving the impression that it has been swayed by, and beholden to, China. In late January, in the early days of the outbreak, the WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, heaped unqualified praise on China’s COVID-19 policy measures and the leadership of Xi Jinping. He commended the “seriousness” with which China was taking the outbreak, “the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated”.

But non-transparency and censorship are pervasive in all levels of China’s system of government. Tedros had been warned by his aides of the potential repercussions of his effusive praise of China, but reportedly ignored them. It appears the WHO also took the initial information and data about the epidemic transmitted to it by China at face value.

In late March, Japan’s deputy prime minister, Taro Aso, quipped that the WHO should be renamed the “Chinese Health Organization”. The US president, Donald Trump, went further – criticising the WHO of being too “China-centric” in handling the pandemic and of an “alarming lack of independence” from China.

Investigation battlefield

The WHO now needs to restore its global credibility. The call for an independent, comprehensive review of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly became a battlefield between China and Western countries, especially Australia and the US. What was eventually adopted on May 19 without objection was a compromise resolution, submitted by the European Union and endorsed by more than 100 other countries.

The resolution does not refer to China, but asks the WHO to work with the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization, now led by the Chinese scientist Qu Dongyu, to: “Identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts.” The resolution also looks forward, pointing to potential intellectual property right issues surrounding a new vaccine.

Speaking at the World Health Assembly the day before the resolution was adopted, Xi framed China as a staunch supporter of multilateral global health governance and committed $2 billion ($1.6 billion) to the international campaign to combat COVID-19. He promised that Chinese vaccines would be “global public goods”, directly confronting fears of a rise in vaccine nationalism in the West. But China’s moves were principally aimed at improving its tarnished reputation.

Tasks for the inquiry

With the resolution adopted, the battle will now centre on who should lead the inquiry. If this inquiry is to be genuinely independent, it must address unanswered questions about who was China’s “patient zero” and when and how they were infected.

A real test would be whether the WHO-led delegation could meet, independently of Chinese authorities, some of the key figures involved in managing the initial stages of the country’s COVID-19 outbreak. It would be enlightening for them to hear at firsthand from frontline doctors in Wuhan hospitals who treated the first batch of COVID-19 patients, such as the doctor Ai Fen. Others they may want to meet are the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s Shi Zhengli, known as China’s “bat woman” and the heads of the genomics laboratories which were reportedly asked to destroy the samples after testing.

Zhang Yongzhen of Fudan University in Shanghai would also be worth speaking to. Zhang has rarely appeared in Chinese official narratives, but his team concluded that the virus was of the coronavirus family, and their results were published in the journal Nature in early February. It later emerged that his laboratory had been ordered to close in early January, with no reason given.

Besides the inquiry into the origins of the virus, another key question is whether the WHO delayed declaring an international emergency after coming under pressure from China, a claim reported by Der Spiegel and Newsweek. According to Newsweek, citing a CIA report, the delay allowed China to hoard essential medical supplies and personal protective equipment from abroad.

Like other UN organisations, the WHO cannot enforce its decisions and policies without the support of its member states. Its success relies on whether it can persuade politicians and officials to comply with its decisions. Maintaining legitimacy is crucial if the WHO is to effectively tackle the future health crises that affect all of humanity.

 
(Lai-Ha Chan is Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Technology Sydney; Pak K Lee is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Politics and International Relations, University of Kent)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-health-organization-must-answer-these-hard-questions-in-its-coronavirus-inquiry-138959"> original article</a>) &nbsp;

By Lai-Ha Chan and Pak K Lee If the World Health Organization (WHO) wants to maintain its legitimacy on the world stage, it must now answer some tough questions about the extent it has kowtowed to China during the coronavirus pandemic.

By Lai-Ha Chan and Pak K Lee If the World Health Organization (WHO) wants to maintain its legitimacy on the world stage, it must now answer some tough questions about the extent it has kowtowed to China during the coronavirus pandemic. It now has a chance to do so, after its members agreed to adopt a resolution for an inquiry into the global handling of the pandemic at a virtual meeting of its annual World Health Assembly on May 19. But there are still many other questions that need to be answered before it can restore its credibility. We have studied China’s engagement with global health institutions such as the WHO, China’s compliance with global public health norms and how far it succeeds in creating and promoting its own norms around the world. Amid the global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected nearly five million people and killed more than 320,000 in just a few short months, understanding the relationship between China, where the outbreak began, and the WHO is crucial to the future of global public health. Uncritical of China The WHO’s leadership has come under unprecedented scrutiny during the pandemic for giving the impression that it has been swayed by, and beholden to, China. In late January, in the early days of the outbreak, the WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, heaped unqualified praise on China’s COVID-19 policy measures and the leadership of Xi Jinping. He commended the “seriousness” with which China was taking the outbreak, “the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated”. But non-transparency and censorship are pervasive in all levels of China’s system of government. Tedros had been warned by his aides of the potential repercussions of his effusive praise of China, but reportedly ignored them. It appears the WHO also took the initial information and data about the epidemic transmitted to it by China at face value. In late March, Japan’s deputy prime minister, Taro Aso, quipped that the WHO should be renamed the “Chinese Health Organization”. The US president, Donald Trump, went further – criticising the WHO of being too “China-centric” in handling the pandemic and of an “alarming lack of independence” from China. Investigation battlefield The WHO now needs to restore its global credibility. The call for an independent, comprehensive review of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly became a battlefield between China and Western countries, especially Australia and the US. What was eventually adopted on May 19 without objection was a compromise resolution, submitted by the European Union and endorsed by more than 100 other countries. The resolution does not refer to China, but asks the WHO to work with the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization, now led by the Chinese scientist Qu Dongyu, to: “Identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts.” The resolution also looks forward, pointing to potential intellectual property right issues surrounding a new vaccine. Speaking at the World Health Assembly the day before the resolution was adopted, Xi framed China as a staunch supporter of multilateral global health governance and committed $2 billion ($1.6 billion) to the international campaign to combat COVID-19. He promised that Chinese vaccines would be “global public goods”, directly confronting fears of a rise in vaccine nationalism in the West. But China’s moves were principally aimed at improving its tarnished reputation. Tasks for the inquiry With the resolution adopted, the battle will now centre on who should lead the inquiry. If this inquiry is to be genuinely independent, it must address unanswered questions about who was China’s “patient zero” and when and how they were infected. A real test would be whether the WHO-led delegation could meet, independently of Chinese authorities, some of the key figures involved in managing the initial stages of the country’s COVID-19 outbreak. It would be enlightening for them to hear at firsthand from frontline doctors in Wuhan hospitals who treated the first batch of COVID-19 patients, such as the doctor Ai Fen. Others they may want to meet are the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s Shi Zhengli, known as China’s “bat woman” and the heads of the genomics laboratories which were reportedly asked to destroy the samples after testing. Zhang Yongzhen of Fudan University in Shanghai would also be worth speaking to. Zhang has rarely appeared in Chinese official narratives, but his team concluded that the virus was of the coronavirus family, and their results were published in the journal Nature in early February. It later emerged that his laboratory had been ordered to close in early January, with no reason given. Besides the inquiry into the origins of the virus, another key question is whether the WHO delayed declaring an international emergency after coming under pressure from China, a claim reported by Der Spiegel and Newsweek. According to Newsweek, citing a CIA report, the delay allowed China to hoard essential medical supplies and personal protective equipment from abroad. Like other UN organisations, the WHO cannot enforce its decisions and policies without the support of its member states. Its success relies on whether it can persuade politicians and officials to comply with its decisions. Maintaining legitimacy is crucial if the WHO is to effectively tackle the future health crises that affect all of humanity. (Lai-Ha Chan is Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Technology Sydney; Pak K Lee is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Politics and International Relations, University of Kent) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

The World Health Organisation must answer these hard questions in its coronavirus inquiry

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly. As a matter of fact, China holds a vice-like grip over Tibet and does not permit any foreigners to visit Tibet to see the conditions for themselves.

The ambition of China to annex Taiwan and firmly hold on to its occupation of Tibet is definite proof of Beijing's expansionist plans.

There seems to be a lot of similarity between the behaviour of the present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany before World War II. The present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany have something in common, in their ambitious goal of dominating rest of the world at any cost, with least concern for ethical or moral principles and fairness in dealing with other countries.

Just as many countries in the world are now trying to appease China, then British Prime Minister Chamberlain too visited Germany to appease Hitler before World War II. Churchill called the bluff of Hitler, which is a matter of history.

So far, China could not annex Taiwan, since &nbsp;Taiwan is heavily protected by the US government and China knows that any move to annex Taiwan would lead to a war with the USA.

On the other hand, China was emboldened to attack Tibet and aggressively occupy the region and China violently suppressed the Tibetan protestors, since the interest of Tibet was not supported or protected by any country in the world in a meaningful way. China continues to occupy Tibet and the world conscience remain suppressed as various governments want to appease China and keep it in good humour to protect their trade and business interests with China.

China now claims Arunachal Pradesh in India as part of China and continues to occupy thousands of kilometre of Indian territory, which it annexed during the 1962 Indo China war. China now claims ownership of islands in the South China Sea and Senkaku island and adopting aggressive postures,&nbsp;in spite of protests from Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and other countries.

So far, &nbsp;China has not been effectively challenged by any country in the world for its&nbsp;aggressive occupation of Tibet and claims on Indian territory and islands in the South China Sea as well as it claims on Taiwan.

Because of the non-caring attitude of most countries in the world, China is emboldened to carry on with its adventures to expand its territory and areas of influence.

While the voice of Tibetans is not being heard loudly around the world, there are countries which speak in support of Taiwan occasionally.

Taiwan has revealed to the world about the Chinese virus sufficiently earlier but &nbsp;WHO has ignored Taiwan’s warning, as Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. Now, the clamour for including Taiwan as member of WHO is being increasingly heard.

Neither Taiwan nor Tibet is a member of UNO, obviously implying that UNO does not recognize these regions as sovereign countries.

The claim of China on Taiwan and Tibet and other regions indicate the mindset of the Chinese government and certainly represents a threat for stability in the world in the long run. With a free run that China already has, it is likely that China may further make claims on other countries too in the coming days. The world has to prevent this.

Taiwan and Tibet are two test cases of China’s unjustified territorial claims. with little resistance from the rest of the world.&nbsp;

It is necessary that Taiwan and Tibet should be recognized as sovereign countries, which is a necessary step to curtail and defeat China’s expansionist ambitions.

United Nations Organisation in its present structure and functioning style, is not in a position to do justice for Taiwan and Tibet.

Today, there is increasing suspicion in the world about &nbsp;China’s methodologies and practices. The fact that China concealed the information about the Wuhan virus and did not forewarn the world at the right time indicates that China could exhibit irresponsible behaviour. Today, the havoc that is happening in the world due to COVID 19 crisis is directly attributed to China’s indifferent attitude towards the welfare of the world community.

Certainly, nobody should think or say that China should be destabilized. But, certainly, the growing thought is that China should be prevented from destabilizing the world and its aggressive methods of occupying other countries should be resisted.

The starting point to initiate such world wide resistance to China’s territorial expansion plans is to recognize Taiwan and Tibet as independent and sovereign countries. This will show China it’s place.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly.

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly. As a matter of fact, China holds a vice-like grip over Tibet and does not permit any foreigners to visit Tibet to see the conditions for themselves. The ambition of China to annex Taiwan and firmly hold on to its occupation of Tibet is definite proof of Beijing's expansionist plans. There seems to be a lot of similarity between the behaviour of the present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany before World War II. The present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany have something in common, in their ambitious goal of dominating rest of the world at any cost, with least concern for ethical or moral principles and fairness in dealing with other countries. Just as many countries in the world are now trying to appease China, then British Prime Minister Chamberlain too visited Germany to appease Hitler before World War II. Churchill called the bluff of Hitler, which is a matter of history. So far, China could not annex Taiwan, since Taiwan is heavily protected by the US government and China knows that any move to annex Taiwan would lead to a war with the USA. On the other hand, China was emboldened to attack Tibet and aggressively occupy the region and China violently suppressed the Tibetan protestors, since the interest of Tibet was not supported or protected by any country in the world in a meaningful way. China continues to occupy Tibet and the world conscience remain suppressed as various governments want to appease China and keep it in good humour to protect their trade and business interests with China. China now claims Arunachal Pradesh in India as part of China and continues to occupy thousands of kilometre of Indian territory, which it annexed during the 1962 Indo China war. China now claims ownership of islands in the South China Sea and Senkaku island and adopting aggressive postures, in spite of protests from Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and other countries. So far, China has not been effectively challenged by any country in the world for its aggressive occupation of Tibet and claims on Indian territory and islands in the South China Sea as well as it claims on Taiwan. Because of the non-caring attitude of most countries in the world, China is emboldened to carry on with its adventures to expand its territory and areas of influence. While the voice of Tibetans is not being heard loudly around the world, there are countries which speak in support of Taiwan occasionally. Taiwan has revealed to the world about the Chinese virus sufficiently earlier but WHO has ignored Taiwan’s warning, as Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. Now, the clamour for including Taiwan as member of WHO is being increasingly heard. Neither Taiwan nor Tibet is a member of UNO, obviously implying that UNO does not recognize these regions as sovereign countries. The claim of China on Taiwan and Tibet and other regions indicate the mindset of the Chinese government and certainly represents a threat for stability in the world in the long run. With a free run that China already has, it is likely that China may further make claims on other countries too in the coming days. The world has to prevent this. Taiwan and Tibet are two test cases of China’s unjustified territorial claims. with little resistance from the rest of the world. It is necessary that Taiwan and Tibet should be recognized as sovereign countries, which is a necessary step to curtail and defeat China’s expansionist ambitions. United Nations Organisation in its present structure and functioning style, is not in a position to do justice for Taiwan and Tibet. Today, there is increasing suspicion in the world about China’s methodologies and practices. The fact that China concealed the information about the Wuhan virus and did not forewarn the world at the right time indicates that China could exhibit irresponsible behaviour. Today, the havoc that is happening in the world due to COVID 19 crisis is directly attributed to China’s indifferent attitude towards the welfare of the world community. Certainly, nobody should think or say that China should be destabilized. But, certainly, the growing thought is that China should be prevented from destabilizing the world and its aggressive methods of occupying other countries should be resisted. The starting point to initiate such world wide resistance to China’s territorial expansion plans is to recognize Taiwan and Tibet as independent and sovereign countries. This will show China it’s place. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

World should give recognition to Taiwan and Tibet

World Health Organization(WHO) members adopted a resolution today calling&nbsp;for an "independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the international response to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organisation-will-continue-to-lead-global-fight-against-pandemic-tedros-299723">coronavirus </a>epidemic including WHO’s performance.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"I thank Member States for adopting the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> resolution, which calls for an independent and comprehensive evaluation of the international response – including, but not limited to, WHO’s performance"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1262739253915598848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-trying-to-shirk-responsibility-smearing-our-anti-virus-effort-china-on-trumps-attack-on-who-299644">Also Read: US trying to shirk responsibility, smearing our anti-virus effort, says China on Trump's attack</a>

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his closing address at the two-day video conference said he will "initiate an evaluation at the earliest appropriate moment."&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"I will initiate an evaluation at the earliest appropriate moment. We welcome any initiative to strengthen global health security &amp; to strengthen WHO. 
 
WHO remains fully committed to transparency, accountability &amp; continuous improvement"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a><a href="https://t.co/iypAq8c9zo">https://t.co/iypAq8c9zo</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1262739370013908993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"We welcome any initiative to strengthen global health security and to strengthen WHO," Tedros said, adding,"WHO remains fully committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement."

"We will continue bringing together leading experts from around the Earth globe in Europe and Africa to develop technical advice, based on the best science," the WHO chief said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"Dark &amp; difficult days may lie ahead. 
 
But guided by science, together we will overcome. 
 
Let hope be the antidote to fear. 
 
Let solidarity be the antidote to division. 
 
Let our shared humanity be the antidote to our shared threat. 
 
Now, more than ever"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1262741934377844743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"We will continue driving research and development to develop evidence about vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics," he said.

Earlier today US President had attacked the UN health body calling it a "Chinese puppet" and asserted that he was considering slashing or cancelling US support permanently. The US president had earlier frozen funds to the organiazation alleging a "China bias" and for "mismanaging" COVID-19 crisis.

Trump said the United States pays around $450 million annually to the World Health Organization. "They gave us a lot of bad advice," Trump said.

Later in a letter to the WHO the US President said that WHO had "failed to publicly call on China to allow for an independent investigation into the origins of the virus, despite the recent endorsement for doing so by its own emergency committee."

"The only way forward for the WHO is if it can actually demonstrate independence from China," the US President said, adding "my administration has already started discussions with you on how to reform the organization, but action is needed quickly, we do not have time to waste."

World Health Organization(WHO) members adopted a resolution today calling for an "independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the international response to the coronavirus epidemic including WHO’s performance.

World Health Organization(WHO) members adopted a resolution today calling for an "independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the international response to the coronavirus epidemic including WHO’s performance. "I thank Member States for adopting the #COVID19 resolution, which calls for an independent and comprehensive evaluation of the international response – including, but not limited to, WHO’s performance"-@DrTedros #WHA73 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 19, 2020 × Also Read: US trying to shirk responsibility, smearing our anti-virus effort, says China on Trump's attack World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his closing address at the two-day video conference said he will "initiate an evaluation at the earliest appropriate moment." "I will initiate an evaluation at the earliest appropriate moment. We welcome any initiative to strengthen global health security & to strengthen WHO. WHO remains fully committed to transparency, accountability & continuous improvement"-@DrTedros #WHA73https://t.co/iypAq8c9zo — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 19, 2020 × "We welcome any initiative to strengthen global health security and to strengthen WHO," Tedros said, adding,"WHO remains fully committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement." "We will continue bringing together leading experts from around the Earth globe in Europe and Africa to develop technical advice, based on the best science," the WHO chief said. "Dark & difficult days may lie ahead. But guided by science, together we will overcome. Let hope be the antidote to fear. Let solidarity be the antidote to division. Let our shared humanity be the antidote to our shared threat. Now, more than ever"-@DrTedros#COVID19 #WHA73 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 19, 2020 × "We will continue driving research and development to develop evidence about vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics," he said. Earlier today US President had attacked the UN health body calling it a "Chinese puppet" and asserted that he was considering slashing or cancelling US support permanently. The US president had earlier frozen funds to the organiazation alleging a "China bias" and for "mismanaging" COVID-19 crisis. Trump said the United States pays around $450 million annually to the World Health Organization. "They gave us a lot of bad advice," Trump said. Later in a letter to the WHO the US President said that WHO had "failed to publicly call on China to allow for an independent investigation into the origins of the virus, despite the recent endorsement for doing so by its own emergency committee." "The only way forward for the WHO is if it can actually demonstrate independence from China," the US President said, adding "my administration has already started discussions with you on how to reform the organization, but action is needed quickly, we do not have time to waste."

Amid US criticism, WHO adopts resolution to launch independent probe into coronavirus

62 nations are pushing a probe into the COVID-19 origin and India has formally articulated its stand. It has backed the call to conduct an impartial and comprehensive investigation.

India calls for impartial probe on COVID-19 origin

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaking at the World Health Assembly through a video linik said on Monday&nbsp;that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-initiate-independent-evaluation-at-earliest-appropriate-moment-who-chief-on-coronavirus-pandemic-299468">vaccines</a> and treatments are "public goods" that must be "distributed equitably to the whole world".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-in-medical-arms-race-over-coronavirus-vaccine-299503">Also Read: US, China in 'medical arms race' over coronavirus vaccine</a>

"South Korea fully supports the efforts of the WHO to develop vaccines and treatments," the president added while addressing the UN health body through video conferencing.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Such vaccines and treatments are public goods that must be distributed equitably to the whole world. 
The Republic of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Korea?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Korea</a> fully supports the efforts of the WHO to develop vaccines and treatments. 
 
-🇰🇷 President <a href="https://twitter.com/moonriver365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@moonriver365</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a><a href="https://t.co/pXl4iQyqdz">pic.twitter.com/pXl4iQyqdz</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1262424787776872455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

French President Emmanuel Macron speaking at the World Health Assembly through a video link said that "only if we join forces will we beat this pandemic," adding, "we need a strong WHO."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amid-coronavirus-pandemic-india-backs-probe-demand-299511">Also Read: Amid coronavirus pandemic, India backs probe demand</a>

"The coronavirus pandemic has of course turned our lives and our societies upside down. It's reminded us how valuable human health is, and how valuable those who work to protect i," the French president added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Together with WHO, we achieved 📈 life expectancy, reduced child mortality, eradicated fatal diseases e.g. smallpox, waging against TB, malaria &amp; HIV, 📈 access to medical treatment, vaccination, strengthen health systems 
- 🇫🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmmanuelMacron</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a><a href="https://t.co/z7nimKRvRF">pic.twitter.com/z7nimKRvRF</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1262397927282094081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"This is one of the most important assemblies in the history of the WHO. It must be a moment for unity, solidarity, clear thought and action in the face of what is an unprecedented global crisis affecting all of us," Macron asserted.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country will work with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China to ensure the operation of COVID-19 pandemic response supply chains.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaking at the World Health Assembly through a video linik said on Monday that vaccines and treatments are "public goods" that must be "distributed equitably to the whole world".

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaking at the World Health Assembly through a video linik said on Monday that vaccines and treatments are "public goods" that must be "distributed equitably to the whole world". Also Read: US, China in 'medical arms race' over coronavirus vaccine "South Korea fully supports the efforts of the WHO to develop vaccines and treatments," the president added while addressing the UN health body through video conferencing. Such vaccines and treatments are public goods that must be distributed equitably to the whole world. The Republic of #Korea fully supports the efforts of the WHO to develop vaccines and treatments. -🇰🇷 President @moonriver365 at #WHA73pic.twitter.com/pXl4iQyqdz — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 18, 2020 × French President Emmanuel Macron speaking at the World Health Assembly through a video link said that "only if we join forces will we beat this pandemic," adding, "we need a strong WHO." Also Read: Amid coronavirus pandemic, India backs probe demand "The coronavirus pandemic has of course turned our lives and our societies upside down. It's reminded us how valuable human health is, and how valuable those who work to protect i," the French president added. Together with WHO, we achieved 📈 life expectancy, reduced child mortality, eradicated fatal diseases e.g. smallpox, waging against TB, malaria & HIV, 📈 access to medical treatment, vaccination, strengthen health systems - 🇫🇷 @EmmanuelMacron #WHA73pic.twitter.com/z7nimKRvRF — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 18, 2020 × "This is one of the most important assemblies in the history of the WHO. It must be a moment for unity, solidarity, clear thought and action in the face of what is an unprecedented global crisis affecting all of us," Macron asserted. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country will work with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China to ensure the operation of COVID-19 pandemic response supply chains.

Vaccine must be distributed equitably to the whole world: South Korea President Moon Jae-in at World Health Assembly

Coronaviruses mutate naturally within their animal or human hosts, many of which produce no functional change in the virus.

Significant changes in the structure of a coronavirus can result in a “gain of function,” that is, enhanced pathogenicity and/or an increase in transmissibility among animals or between animals and humans.

Such a “gain of function” has also been generated artificially through bioengineering, which has been demonstrated using a wide variety of viruses.

Two recently-published scientific studies provide evidence that COVID-19 resulted from artificial manipulation of the structure of coronaviruses.

The<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.06199"> first study </a>showed that COVID-19 samples, taken early in the pandemic, had already achieved a very high affinity for binding to human receptors, greater than all the other tested species including bats, the postulated source of the virus.

The next highest binding affinity after humans was, not bats, but pangolins (spiny anteaters), which have previously been <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1008421">excluded</a> as the animal source for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lead author of the study<a href="https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exclusive-virus-researchers-uncover-evidence-implying-covid-19-was-created-in-a-lab?fbclid=IwAR0OhZqkRBeysQCrx5rEcsDH7VWOhnjqjq4_0o5axzVQi3iPYalJSt2Q3Po"> stated</a>, “there are some highly unusual features, including optimal human adaptation, that in the absence of identification of a close to identical virus in an animal population from which COVID-19 could have arisen, would point in the direction of human intervention at some point in the evolution of COVID-19.”

That conclusion was buttressed by a <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.01.073262v1.full">second study</a>, which compared the evolutionary dynamics between the COVID-19 and SARS-CoV, the coronavirus that caused the 2002-2003 pandemic.

Those scientists wrote they were “surprised to find” that COVID-19, early on, resembled SARS-CoV in the late phase of the 2002-2003 pandemic after SARS-CoV had developed several advantageous adaptations for human transmission.

Their observations suggested that by the time COVID-19 was first detected in late 2019, it was already pre-adapted for human transmission.

When combined with data <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/explained-scientific-indications-that-show-covid-19-is-man-made-298868">published</a> in other scientific studies, there is mounting evidence that COVID-19 is man-made.

The reason COVID-19 binds with high affinity to human and pangolin and not bat receptors is likely because the pangolin receptor binding domain or part of it was artificially “spliced” onto a bat coronavirus backbone and then run through cell cultures and animal models that would optimize it for binding to human receptors.

In 2015, Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina and Zheng-Li Shi, the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-chinas-bat-woman-hunted-down-viruses-from-sars-to-the-new-coronavirus1/">“bat woman” </a>from the Wuhan Institute of Virology jointly published a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.3985">scientific article</a> describing the combination of the receptor-binding spike protein from a newly isolated coronavirus (SHC014) and the “backbone” from SARS-CoV, the coronavirus responsible for the 2002-2003 pandemic.

The above experiment produced a novel virus, chimera SHC014-MA15, which showed “robust viral replication both in vitro [cell cultures] and in vivo [animals],” using models adapted to test human infectivity.

Animal models for the addition of structures important to the function of coronaviruses in animals and humans, called O-linked glycans, have been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6135831/">used </a>by Chinese scientists at the Chongqing Military Medical University, as well as animal models developed in China to <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aalas/cm/2007/00000057/00000005/art00003">specifically select</a> for the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, the entry step for COVID-19 infection.

There should now be no doubt that the origin of COVID-19 can be better explained as the product of bioengineering rather than a yet unidentified naturally-occurring recombination event. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Coronaviruses mutate naturally within their animal or human hosts, many of which produce no functional change in the virus. Significant changes in the structure of a coronavirus can result in a “gain of function,” that is, enhanced pathogenicity and/or an increase in transmissibility among animals or between animals and humans.

Coronaviruses mutate naturally within their animal or human hosts, many of which produce no functional change in the virus. Significant changes in the structure of a coronavirus can result in a “gain of function,” that is, enhanced pathogenicity and/or an increase in transmissibility among animals or between animals and humans. Such a “gain of function” has also been generated artificially through bioengineering, which has been demonstrated using a wide variety of viruses. Two recently-published scientific studies provide evidence that COVID-19 resulted from artificial manipulation of the structure of coronaviruses. The first study showed that COVID-19 samples, taken early in the pandemic, had already achieved a very high affinity for binding to human receptors, greater than all the other tested species including bats, the postulated source of the virus. The next highest binding affinity after humans was, not bats, but pangolins (spiny anteaters), which have previously been excluded as the animal source for the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead author of the study stated, “there are some highly unusual features, including optimal human adaptation, that in the absence of identification of a close to identical virus in an animal population from which COVID-19 could have arisen, would point in the direction of human intervention at some point in the evolution of COVID-19.” That conclusion was buttressed by a second study, which compared the evolutionary dynamics between the COVID-19 and SARS-CoV, the coronavirus that caused the 2002-2003 pandemic. Those scientists wrote they were “surprised to find” that COVID-19, early on, resembled SARS-CoV in the late phase of the 2002-2003 pandemic after SARS-CoV had developed several advantageous adaptations for human transmission. Their observations suggested that by the time COVID-19 was first detected in late 2019, it was already pre-adapted for human transmission. When combined with data published in other scientific studies, there is mounting evidence that COVID-19 is man-made. The reason COVID-19 binds with high affinity to human and pangolin and not bat receptors is likely because the pangolin receptor binding domain or part of it was artificially “spliced” onto a bat coronavirus backbone and then run through cell cultures and animal models that would optimize it for binding to human receptors. In 2015, Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina and Zheng-Li Shi, the “bat woman” from the Wuhan Institute of Virology jointly published a scientific article describing the combination of the receptor-binding spike protein from a newly isolated coronavirus (SHC014) and the “backbone” from SARS-CoV, the coronavirus responsible for the 2002-2003 pandemic. The above experiment produced a novel virus, chimera SHC014-MA15, which showed “robust viral replication both in vitro [cell cultures] and in vivo [animals],” using models adapted to test human infectivity. Animal models for the addition of structures important to the function of coronaviruses in animals and humans, called O-linked glycans, have been used by Chinese scientists at the Chongqing Military Medical University, as well as animal models developed in China to specifically select for the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, the entry step for COVID-19 infection. There should now be no doubt that the origin of COVID-19 can be better explained as the product of bioengineering rather than a yet unidentified naturally-occurring recombination event. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Evidence indicates COVID-19 was artificially adapted to infect humans

wuhan-virus

Wuhan Virus, News on Wuhan Virus, stories on Wuhan Virus, articles on Wuhan Virus, Wuhan Virus stories at Wion, Wuhan Virus news, Wuhan Virus latest news

wuhan virus

Gravitas: Xi Jinping's legacy is under threat

Gravitas: Why propaganda is China's favorite tool

Gravitas: Wuhan floods | Natural or Deliberate?

Gravitas: Another Epidemic Outbreak in China?

China caught in its own debt-trap

Where does China stand on the world stage?

India-China standoff: Beijing's expansionism a matter of global concern

20% Belt and Road Initiative 'seriously affected' due to coronavirus: China

Gravitas: Nepal's dangerous brinkmanship against India

Gravitas: The Wuhan virus is not slowing down

Chinese State Media: President Xi Jinping predicted 'President of the people'

Gravitas: Xi Jinping turns salesman for Traditional Chinese Medicine

Gravitas: Nepal blames India for Wuhan virus

Gravitas: Nepal blames India for Wuhan virus

Coronavirus may have been in Wuhan in August: Study

Steps India must take for strong foreign relations post COVID-19

China calls Harvard Medical School research on spread of virus in August 'incredibly ridiculous'

Xi Jinping is promoting 'Traditional Chinese Medicine'

A call to boycott China amid COVID-19 pandemic: Push for 'Vocal' 'Local' campaign

COVID-19 virus has properties that have never been found in nature before

Evidence suggests genetic manipulation in COVID-19

Is Xi Jinping consolidating power in the name of fighting corruption?

Tracing the origins: COVID-19 is not naturally-occurring

Gravitas: Wuhan Coronavirus: Nearly 55,50,000 infected worldwide