China’s Embassy Calls for Calm as COVID Origin Debate Ensues
Why the Lab‑Leak Debate Keeps Growing
When President Biden hinted that U.S. intelligence is split on the virus’s birthplace, the Chinese embassy in Washington fired back, warning that “politicising the origins of Covid‑19 will only stall investigations.” The timing couldn’t be more perfect, as the World Health Organization gears up for a deeper dive into the pandemic’s origins.
China Says It’s Not the Lab
China’s narrative remains firm: the Wuhan lab is not the culprit. The embassy suggests other countries are trying to deflect from their own mishaps in containing the virus. Meanwhile, the embassy backs a “comprehensive study of all early Covid‑19 cases worldwide” and pushes for audits of “secretive bases and biological laboratories around the globe.”
Spokesperson’s Take
Jamie Metzl, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, criticized China’s move—calling it an “internationalisation of their way out of the jam.” Metzl also slammed the lab‑leak theory, stating, “The pandemic started in China. If it’s going to be investigated, start there.”
Huang Yanzhong’s Point of View
Huang Yanzhong from the Council on Foreign Relations added that China’s lack of transparency fuels the lab‑leak hypothesis. He urged an honest investigation to rebuild trust: “Transparency is key for a credible outcome.”
Joint Study vs. Mysterious Speculations
- A March joint China‑WHO study ruled out a lab leak as “highly improbable,” citing a likely transmission from bats to humans via an unidentified intermediary.
- China continues to hint at other origins, such as frozen food importation or Southeast Asian wildlife trade links.
- The Global Times, an official tabloid, pushed back against a lab‑leak probe unless the U.S. also opens its own facilities.
Can the Investigation Get Ahead of Politics?
Both Metzl and Huang lament that the debate has become a high‑stakes political game. They call for greater cooperation and openness, hoping the investigation moves past the “impasse” and delivers the answers people truly need—especially those who lost loved ones during the pandemic.
In Summary
China’s embassy is aiming for a calmer, more scientific path forward, while critics urge for transparency, both sides acknowledging how politicisation can derail the pursuit of truth. The next chapter—whether it sticks to labs, wildlife or other theory—remains to be written.
