Press release: Chinese Embassy in Somalia explains COVID-19 origin-tracing

Currently, the world is still suffering from the grim situation of COVID-19 pandemic, the appearance of the Delta variant is challenging the prevention and control measures of all countries, and the African continent is faced with the rapid escalation of the third COVID-19 wave. On the basis of good performance in epidemic control at home and within its capacity, China has provided support and assistance to the African countries including Somalia. China has donated a batch of health products and 200,000 doses of vaccines to Somalia. As the first country providing vaccines to Somalia, China's contribution fully demonstrates the brotherly friendship between our two countries. Through concrete actions, China fulfills its solemn commitment made by H.E. President XI Jinping, i.e., making COVID-19 vaccines, developed and deployed by China, global public goods and prioritizing the accessibility and affordability in developing countries, in particular African countries. The pandemic respects no borders and races, and is the challenge of all mankind. However, certain western countries attempt to politicize the pandemic, pin label on the virus when concerted cooperation between and among countries is widely expected by the international community. In addition, WHO recently went ahead to circulate the second phase of the work plan on origin-tracing without full consultation with the Member States. Regarding this move, many countries, including Somalia, have raised concerns and spoken for justice. The Embassy of China in Somalia aims at introducing China's position on and contribution to COVID-19 origin-tracing, elaborating China's claims on the follow-up of the origin-tracing, as well as debunking the lies and ugly face of certain western countries, so as to get the facts straight.  

1. What is China's opinion on origin-tracing?

China believes that origin-tracing is an important link in fighting all pandemics to the extent that it will help prevent and tackle more effectively similar public health emergencies in the future. Since the early stage of the outbreak, China has made clear its serious and responsible attitude toward origin-tracing, and among many others, has put together teams of experts to conduct research. At the opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly last year, President XI stressed in particular that China supports global research by scientists from all countries on the sources and transmission routes of the virus.

1. What specific work has been done by China? Please introduce China's contribution in this regard.

Firstly, during the 73rd World Health Assembly, China co-sponsored a resolution on COVID-19 response with over 140 countries, calling on the WHO to work closely with countries and relevant international organizations to identify the zoonotic source, possible intermediate hosts and transmission route of the virus. China also took the lead in collaborating with the WHO on global origin-tracing. Since last year, China has twice invited WHO experts to China for origin-tracing research, and the international expert team has had numerous online and email exchanges with their Chinese counterparts. Based on the large amount of joint research carried out earnestly, on 3rd March, 2021, WHO and China jointly released the report on the WHO-convened global study of origins of SARS-CoV-2: China part. The report has come to conclusions that have been widely recognized by the international community and science community on the possible pathways of the virus, showing that there have been scientific conclusions reached regarding the SARS-CoV-2 origin-tracing study in the current phase in China. China's open and transparent attitude on origin-tracing also won full recognition from the international experts.

1. What is China's attitude on "lab leak" theory that COVID-19 may have escaped from Wuhan Institute of Virology?

Since last year, China has twice invited WHO experts to China for origin-tracing research. In particular, leading experts from ten countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia, formed a joint expert team with their Chinese counterparts earlier this year. They carried out a 28-day joint research in China. In this course, they analyzed data together, made field visits together, conducted interviews and exchanges together, and they concluded, among others, that the pathway of lab leak is "extremely unlikely", and that no massive outbreak was found in Wuhan prior to December 2019. They also recommended further research on earlier cases around the world and further study of the role of cold-chain and cold-chain products in viral transmission. These important conclusions were reached by following WHO procedures and rigorous scientific methodology, and are authoritative and science-based.

1. What is China's position on the second-phase work plan of WHO? What is China's recommendation on the follow-up work?

The second-phase work plan didn't publicly call for input or seek the views and recommendations from Member States in advance, nor did it draw on any constructive recommendations by China and any other member state during the drafting process, and its contents were not fully or extensively consulted, which was not open and transparent as declared, and was not in compliance with the regular procedures of WHO. The WHO-China joint origin-tracing report confirmed the pathway of laboratory incident as "extremely unlikely", and this is a scientific and objective conclusion reached by international and Chinese experts after a lot of serious and meticulous research work and discussions, which has been recognized by the international scientific community. China firmly opposes a new round of study on the hypothesis of laboratory incident as main content, rejects any new round of politicized and pressured origin-tracing study in China, and cannot go along with abandoning the proven effective joint research team mechanism and method in the phase 1 study and setting up another new set of rules and teams. China believes that the phase 2 origin-tracing studies should be conducted based on the work done in the first phase study, under the guidance of resolution WHA 73.1 and with extensive consultation among Member States. What has already been carried out in the phase 1 study, especially those with clear consultations, should not be studied again in the phase 2 study. China recommends that the phase 2 study should fully draw on the successful practices in the phase 1 study, and further clarify the working mechanism and method in the phase 2 plan. It's made clear this phase 2 plan is based on the phase 1 study, and it is not proper to start all over again and to explore new working methods, otherwise it will go against the smooth unfolding of the phase 2 study, and move away from the WHO principle of anti-politicization.

1. How to comment on the act of certain western countries politicizing the pandemic and pinning label on the virus?

Since this year, certain countries constantly make uproars to conduct so-called "independent" origin-tracing investigation, but at the same time they keep pressing on WHO and international expert team, and try to groundlessly deny the conclusions made in the joint report by phase 1 study, to turn over the consensus reached in the joint research in Wuhan by using a series of tricks, as well as to press the WHO to change the composition of the expert team and conduct invasive investigations of China. China noticed certain western country recently has once again sought to play up the issue of origin-tracing and started a new round of political maneuvering, even announced preposterously that it would get its intelligence agencies to handle origin-tracing, and fabricating lies such as the "lab leak" from Wuhan. The purpose of the foregoing actions is self-evident, i.e., aiming at obstructing cooperation on global origin-tracing, deflecting  responsibility for its poor COVID response at home, and using this as an opportunity to defame and blame China. The atmosphere for global cooperation has been poisoned severely. China is always emphasizing that origin-tracing is a scientific issue, and must rely on scientists, follow a science-based approach, and use scientific methods. It should be conducted by scientists, not by politicians or intelligence officials. The dramatic scenes of certain country showing some "white powder" to assert that another country possessed weapons of mass destruction at the UN Security Council in 2003 are still vivid in people's mind. Now the old trick is played again, and its purpose is nothing but to create another false narrative to serve its ulterior motives.

1. What is China's suggestion on a more effective international cooperation on origin-tracing?

China would like to emphasize four points in this regard: First, origin-tracing must not be politicized. As mentioned above, the political maneuvering of certain country only aims at deflecting responsibility for its poor COVID response at home. The atmosphere for global cooperation on origin-tracing has been poisoned severely. More and more scientists doubt whether there are still conditions at the moment for serious scientific collaboration. Second, origin-tracing must be based on science. Origin-tracing has always been a scientific challenge through history, and human knowledge in this area is limited. Thereafter, origin-tracing must rely on scientists, follow a science-based approach, and use scientific methods. Third, origin-tracing must be conducted through cooperation. The purpose of origin-tracing is to find out the origins of the virus, understand the mechanisms of its transmission, and forestall any future risks. This can only be achieved through cooperation. Origin-tracing should be based on equal-footed exchange, mutual trust and candid and sincere cooperation among relevant parties. It should not be a one-way investigation imposed by one side on another, still less should it be based on the presumption of guilt or any predetermined conclusions. Fourth, origin-tracing must be proceeded with global collaboration. The origins of the virus should be traced from around the world. The Joint Report by the WHO-China expert group recommends further retrospective and systematic studies worldwide over earlier cases and possible hosts. WHO experts also pointed out that future origin-tracing should not be bound to one location; rather, it should be conducted in multiple countries and regions.   China has not only always supported the work of origin-tracing based on science, but also spared no effort to constantly provide substantial support, including vaccines, to other countries and WHO to combat the pandemic. On 5^th August, the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation, which was proposed by President XI at the Global Health Summit in May, held its first meeting, and all the parties jointly launched the Joint Statement of the Forum. In his message sent to the forum, President XI stressed China always commits to building a global community of health for all, and is providing vaccines to the world, particularly fellow developing countries, and is actively advancing cooperation on vaccine production. This is in line with China's commitment to making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good. China will continue to do its best to help other developing countries cope with the virus. President XI also pointed out that in the course of this year, China will strive to provide 2 billion doses of vaccines to the world, and also China has decided to donate US$100 million to the COVAX facility for distributing vaccines to developing countries. China stands ready to work with the international community to advance international vaccine cooperation, prevail over the virus together and build a community with a shared future for mankind through concrete actions.