Beijing has hit back at the United States for once again stirring up the lab leak theory on the coronavirus pandemic, calling on it to stop “smearing China” and “politicising the origins of Covid”.
It followed American media reports, citing classified intelligence provided to Washington, that said the US Department of Energy had concluded that a Chinese laboratory leak was the most likely cause of the pandemic.
The Chinese foreign ministry slammed the reports on Monday, saying tracing the origin of the coronavirus was a scientific issue that should not be politicised.
“Relevant parties should stop stirring up the theory of laboratory leaks, stop smearing China, and stop politicising the origins of Covid,” ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
According to a Wall Street Journal report on Sunday, the department was previously undecided on how the Covid-19 virus emerged, and the shift highlighted the divide between US spy agencies on the pandemic’s origin.
It noted the department had made its judgment with “low confidence”, citing sources who had read the classified report “provided to the White House and key members of Congress”.
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