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Coronavirus: Chinese expert rails against WHO chief and Wuhan lab leak theory
- Unnamed scientist who investigated pandemic origins given state media platform to accuse ‘irresponsible’ WHO director general of pursuing controversial theory
- Backlash has potential to cause a rift between China and WHO and harm future probes into pandemic origins, say experts
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A Chinese scientist on the joint international team investigating the origins of Covid-19 has accused WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of being “extremely irresponsible” for pursuing the “lab leak” theory.
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The rare public display of discontent – voiced by an anonymous expert and reported in local state media – showed how Beijing subtly protested against the World Health Organization’s pursuit of a hypothesis that China preferred to abandon while leaving room not to bruise ties with the UN agency.
The issue might potentially sour the relationship between China and the world health body but would not fundamentally change it, an observer said.
China has been firmly pushing back against any suggestions that a leak from a high-level biosecurity lab in the central Chinese city of Wuhan started the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also insisted China was very cooperative and transparent with the investigation.
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WHO mission leader on ‘political pressure’, difficulty accessing data during Wuhan origin study
WHO mission leader on ‘political pressure’, difficulty accessing data during Wuhan origin study
Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday afternoon that all parties should respect science and the opinions and conclusions of scientists, and the WHO in particular, should play an exemplary role.
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