In a shocking claim, Beijing asserts that the U.S., not China, is responsible for the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a recent white paper, China has made a bold claim, accusing the United States of being responsible for the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report, issued by China’s State Council Information Office, suggests that the virus, which has killed millions globally, may have first emerged in the U.S. and not in Wuhan, China as widely believed.
China responds to U.S. claims of lab leaks
The white paper comes as a direct counter to accusations from the Trump campaign, which has repeatedly suggested that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
This claim has been at the center of political discussions, despite the fact that the majority of virologists still maintain that the virus likely originated from animals, not a lab.
Allegations and ccusations in the Chinese white paper
In the report, Chinese officials criticize the U.S. for politicizing the investigation into the origins of SARS-CoV-2.
They argue that instead of acknowledging its own failures in managing the Covid-19 crisis, the U.S. government has shifted blame onto China.
The document urges the U.S. to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the pandemic’s origins, specifically pointing to outbreaks within its own borders that predated the official timeline of the virus’s spread.
In the report, Chinese officials wrote: ‘The US government, instead of facing squarely its failure in response to Covid-19 and reflecting on its shortcomings, has tried to shift the blame and divert people’s attention by shamelessly politicizing SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing.
‘A thorough and in-depth investigation into the origins of the virus should be conducted in the United States. The United States should respond to the reasonable concern of the international community, and give a responsible answer to the world.’
The report goes on to say: ‘Substantial evidence suggested the COVID-19 might have emerged in the United States earlier than its officially-claimed timeline, and earlier than the outbreak in China.’
U.S. downplayed the severity of Covid-19
The Chinese government further claims that the U.S. initially downplayed the pandemic’s severity, calling it nothing more than a flu and stating that it would “disappear” on its own.
This, according to China, squandered crucial time that could have been used to prevent the global spread of the virus.
The white paper also highlights various studies, including one from the U.S. CDC, which found SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in samples collected from as early as December 2019.
However, experts caution that these studies are inconclusive.
Antibody tests may show exposure to a virus but do not confirm active infection or transmission chains, and there are concerns about false positives due to cross-reaction with other coronaviruses.
‘The US has made China the primary scapegoat for its own mismanaged Covid-19 response. The US government’s indifference and delayed actions wasted the precious time China had secured for the global fight against the pandemic.’
The U.S. and early covid-19 outbreaks
Further allegations point to several respiratory disease outbreaks in the U.S. in 2019, which China suggests could have been Covid-19 cases, although lab tests did not confirm this.
These claims contribute to the narrative that the virus could have originated earlier than reported, with the U.S. not fully acknowledging its role in the global spread of the virus.
‘A US CDC study revealed that out of 7,389 serological survey samples collected from nine states between December 13, 2019 and January 17, 2020, 106 were SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive. This suggests that the virus existed in the US before the first official case was identified,’ the white paper said.
The report also touches on laboratory safety in the U.S., referencing more than 1,500 serious laboratory incidents involving dangerous pathogens.
While these incidents were largely minor, China uses them to question the safety standards of U.S. labs.
Additionally, the white paper asserts that the U.S. failed to share crucial early information about Covid-19 outbreaks with the World Health Organization, further compounding global concerns.