China faces new allegations suggesting a possible laboratory leak and its link to biological warfare amid an ongoing investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evidence has emerged that Chinese scientists, in collaboration with the Chinese military, were involved in the development of a dangerous coronavirus that could lead to global disruption in 2020, according to a recent report in The Sunday Times.
The report draws on a variety of sources, including classified reports, memos, emails, scientific papers, and interviews with U.S. State Department officials working on epidemic investigations, to make a series of convincing allegations against the Chinese research program.
Previous attempts to identify the cause of COVID-19 have produced inconclusive results. A January 2021 investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) failed to identify a natural source, while calling the notion of a laboratory leak “highly unlikely”. The investigation is further complicated by a lack of transparency in China, which has hampered a conclusive investigation.
China has consistently denied the existence of evidence supporting the laboratory leak theory as the origin of COVID-19.
Faced with these new allegations, the international community is faced with the question of how to respond and, where possible, further clarify the matter. CIA Different approaches have been proposed to address this question and potentially gain insight into the origin of COVID-19.
Additional investigations, possibly through international organizations such as the World Health Organization, are a potential avenue to explore, AsiaNews reported. However, such a commitment would encounter significant challenges, including China’s limited transparency and difficulty in distinguishing between legitimate biological research and biological warfare intent.
The secrecy of biological warfare research makes it easy to hide, and experiments are often conducted in secret facilities equipped to be dismantled quickly if inspections reveal the slightest suspicion.
Another possible action by the countries concerned is to file a formal complaint alleging that China may have violated the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the CNA noted. This legally binding treaty prohibits the possession and use of biological weapons.
The U.S. has previously stated that due to insufficient information, it cannot judge whether China complies with the BWC. Complaints can reportedly be lodged through the United Nations.
But even if it is determined that COVID-19 was caused by a laboratory leak, it is important to note that, according to the CNA, such incidents are likely to be accidental rather than deliberate acts of biological warfare.
Ultimately, in the absence of conclusive evidence, the international community may choose not to take further action. While the Sunday Times report provides new data, its conclusiveness remains open to question.
Engaging with China on the topic of biological warfare would undoubtedly carry significant diplomatic ramifications and potentially troubling political dynamics.
Therefore, the international community is unlikely to move forward with the COVID-19 dispute without concrete evidence to support the existence of a Chinese biological warfare program. Achieving absolute certainty can be difficult to achieve given the inherent challenges associated with biological research.
Meanwhile, a report published in the Substack newsletter Public said scientists working at the Wuhan Institute of Virology first became infected with COVID-19 before the disease sparked a pandemic.
Researchers have reportedly conducted “gain-of-function” experiments to enhance the infectivity of the coronavirus without following safe laboratory practices. A scientist has admitted to being bitten by a bat in the lab.
Ahead of the report, the U.S. Departments of State and Energy had already expressed their suspicions about a potential lab leak and the illness of researchers before a global outbreak. However, the Chinese government vehemently denies the allegations.
Published by Medicaldaily.com