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Key Points

China has accused the US of being the true origin of COVID-19, countering Trump's claims about the Wuhan lab. Officials claim America is politicizing the issue to deflect from its own pandemic failures. The White House recently updated its COVID information to push the lab leak theory, while China insists natural transmission remains probable. This exchange reignites tensions over pandemic accountability between the two global powers.

Key Points: China Accuses US of COVID Origin After Trump Wuhan Lab Claims

  • China cites "substantial evidence" of earlier US COVID emergence
  • White House webpage claims lab leak most likely origin
  • CIA previously flagged lab origin with "low confidence"
  • China criticizes US pandemic response as global "weak link"
3 min read

China blames US for origin of COVID-19 after Trump's allegation

China blames US for COVID-19 emergence, countering Trump's Wuhan lab leak theory with claims of American origin and political blame-shifting.

"The US government has tried to shift blame by shamelessly politicizing SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing. – Chinese Officials"

Beijing, May 1

China on Wednesday accused the US for originating COVID-19, claiming America was trying to "shift the blame" after US President Donald Trump said that the disease was leaked from a Wuhan lab, New York Post reported.

The Chinese government has said that "substantial evidence" suggested that COVID might have emerged from the US earlier than the outbreak in China, while insisting the lab leak theory was "extremely unlikely" in a white paper.

Chinese officials said, "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 politicising SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing."

According to the report, COVID-19 circulated in the US earlier than it was officially determined. The Chinese government's allegations against the US follow the White House revamped its COVID-19 information earlier this month to push the statement that COVID-19 leaked out of a lab in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

A section on the new White House webpage stated, "A lab-related incident involving gain-of-function research is the most likely the origin of COVID-19," New York Post reported.

Earlier in January, the CIA said that COVID-19 was more likely to have begun in a lab rather than in nature, after it previously could not come to a determination. However, the agency warned that it had "low confidence" and made clear that the lab origin and natural origin both remain possible.

A House panel and other federal agencies, like the FBI, reached a similar conclusion regarding the lab leak theory. However, in the white paper, China mentioned that a joint study carried out with the World Health Organisation in the past found that COVID-19 was probably transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, New York Post reported.

The Chinese report, which also analysed the prevention and control of the disease, criticised the US for not doing more to combat COVID-19. China said, "It has severely undermined joint international efforts in the fight against the pandemic and become a weak link in global public health governance."

Notably, China has faced accusations that it covered up the severity of the COVID-19 virus in the early months. In the report, Chinese officials said that the US cannot continue to "turn a deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This blame game between US and China is getting old. As an Indian, I'm more concerned about how both superpowers handled the pandemic initially. China's lack of transparency and US's slow response cost lives globally. We need accountability, not political mudslinging.
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Priya M.
China's sudden counter-accusation seems like deflection 🤔 After Wuhan's initial cover-up, they lost credibility. But America's handling was no better - remember how they hoarded vaccines? Both need to cooperate for global health security instead of this childish finger-pointing.
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Amit S.
The timing is suspicious - just when US agencies are concluding lab leak theory, China comes up with this "evidence". As someone who lost family members to COVID, I don't care about origins as much as I care about preventing future pandemics. Focus on solutions, not blame!
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Sunita R.
China's white paper criticizing US response is rich coming from them! Remember how they punished doctors who first reported COVID? But let's be fair - India's initial response wasn't perfect either. We should learn from all mistakes instead of playing politics with people's lives.
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Vikram J.
As an Indian scientist, I find both narratives problematic. The truth likely lies somewhere in between. What's undeniable is that gain-of-function research needs stricter global oversight. India should push for this at WHO instead of getting drawn into US-China propaganda wars.
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Neha P.
China's sudden U-turn on origins is telling. First they said it came from wet markets, then bats, now America? 😒 But Trump's rhetoric doesn't help either. The world needs transparent investigation, not political theater. India should stay neutral and focus on strengthening our healthcare systems.

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