In response to a question on the declassified assessment on COVID-19 origins released by the U.S. on October 29, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called on the U.S. to stop scapegoating and blame-shifting and focus on domestic efforts and global cooperation. His remarks follow: 

When the U.S. intelligence agency released the so-called unclassified summary of assessment on COVID-19 origins in August, China made clear its firm opposition. A lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie. No matter how many times the report is published or how many versions it comes in, it will not change the fact that this report is in essence a political and false one, with no scientific basis or credibility.

The origins study of the novel coronavirus is a serious and complex scientific issue, which should and can only be carried out by global scientists in cooperation. The use of intelligence agencies to trace the origins is in itself an iron-clad proof of politicization. The U.S. intelligence services have a deplorable track record, with their falsification and deception tactics known by the world.

Recently, more than 80 countries have stated their explicit position of opposing politicization of origins-tracing and upholding the joint China-World Health Organization (WHO) study report through various means including writing to the WHO Director-General, releasing statements and sending notes. Over 300 political parties, civil organizations and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement opposing politicization of origins-tracing to the WHO Secretariat. These are voices of justice in the international community.

However, the U.S. remains obsessed with political manipulation and intelligence-led origins-tracing in disregard of international justice. This will only further undermine the general atmosphere for science-based global cooperation in origins-tracing, hamper international cooperation in combating COVID-19, and cost more lives.

At present, the U.S. should stop all scapegoating and blame-shifting moves and focus instead on domestic efforts and global cooperation in fighting COVID-19. It should stop political manipulation and create enabling conditions for scientists all over the world to conduct origins-tracing cooperation. It should stop attacking and smearing China, respond to the legitimate concerns of the international community, receive WHO experts' visits, and open up its biological labs at Fort Detrick and biological experiment bases.