China has opposed the plans by the World Health Organisation to undertake a second investigation into the origins of coronavirus. WHO had called for a second probing act focusing on how exactly the virus got loose from the Chinese research laboratories. The virus made its first impact in Wuhan, a Chinese City, amid reports that it accidentally ‘escaped.’ But many theories were propounded regarding why the virus spread globally, with numerous views suggesting that it was a bio-chemical weapon. China also threw around ‘controversial’ statements concerning the origins of covid-19, and it seems like world leaders did not believe those statements.
After the virus was dictated, almost everyone blamed China for being reckless, and the country was attacked for working with such deadly substances. Even scientists despised the nation for experimenting with a dangerous contagious element such as the coronavirus. Without a proper explanation from the Chinese government, people got swayed away by believing that covid-19 was a biochemical weapon that was being prepared against certain countries, and others cited the United States of America as the intended target. However, this view was canceled out due to the deaths recorded in Wuhan, which left people wondering how a government can endanger the lives of its citizens.
Attacks on China were also fuelled by the US’s former president Donald Trump who was blaming the country for infecting the world. Trump referred to covid-19 as ‘China virus’ from China. According to him, the Chinese people created the virus to enact some conspiracy against their enemies. Scientific departments were surprised at how responsible scientists could work with a virus without an antidote. Usually, when scientists carry out experiments with dangerous entities, they tend to have a control measure to dissolve the whole process if it becomes uncontrollable. Despite all these allegations, China maintained that the virus was accidentally leaked to the world, and prominent scientists lost their lives after it leaked.
Recently, WHO aired out its plans to investigate the origins of corona for a second time. This planned investigation is centered on auditing laboratories where the virus was first identified. WHO officials, together with science experts, argued how it seems rare and unlikely for the virus to have escaped from a Chinese laboratory as initially suggested by the nation. The organization sent out investigators to Wuhan, where the virus was detected for the first time in December 2019 and later in the following months. The second phase of the process, according to WHO, involves carrying out investigations on science research institutions, especially those which contained the virus.
Chinese Deputy Health Minister Zeng Yixin showed pure displeasure regarding this second investigation by WHO and cited that it showed “disrespect for common sense and arrogance science.” At a Press Conference on Thursday, the Deputy Health Minister alluded to how WHO’s care plans are based on allegations labeled against China’s laboratory protocols. The auditing has nothing to do with establishing the origins of covid-19. The minister despised the established organization for believing ‘falsehoods’ from foreign parties who seek to tarnish China’s image and condemn the science research department. He also alluded that it would be “impossible” for his country to accept WHO’s demands, especially after China had already submitted its findings and recommendations regarding tracing the corona virus’s origins.
Minister Zeng Yixin said, “We hope the WHO would seriously review the considerations and suggestions made by Chinese experts and truly treat the origin tracing of the Covid-19 as a scientific matter, and get rid of political interference” [Source]. China is one of the most advanced nations in scientific research, so their findings should be considered valid. Also, science is based on factual material that shows scientific evidence; hence, the minister argues that people should believe in speculations and assumptions that lack any tangible evidence.
WHO is being pressured by various stakeholders to reveal the truth about the pandemic since it is responsible for over 4 million deaths and still counting. But WHO’s head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is quite determined to go on with the plans and requested China to be cooperative by outlining all factors about the early stages of the covid-19 outbreak [Source]. He also asked for transparency from Beijing in providing all unshared data during the first probe. The US also urged China to work with investigators to save lives by preventing another outbreak.
Given the magnitude of coronavirus on human life and the world economy, China might need to reconsider its position and allow for an intense investigation of covid-19’s origins so that a future outbreak is wholly avoided. But there promises to be some friction, especially with China suspecting that WHO is being politically motivated to unravel a hidden conspiracy.
For the general populace, it would be great if the truth is brought out, as this will assist in stopping another global crisis.
