Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang (Photo from Foreign Ministry website)

 
China has noticed that there are discussions on the origin of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), and some US official and congressmen made groundless accusations and attacked China, which we firmly oppose, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in response to a question concerning the latest tweet by Chinese diplomat Zhao Lijian. 

Screenshot of Zhao Lijian's tweet

 
Zhao, a famously outspoken official who also serves as spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, raised a suspicion on his Twitter account Thursday night that it might have been the US army representatives who brought the novel coronavirus to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, in October 2019, after a top US health official admitted detecting coronavirus infections on some deceased flu patients. 

Zhao urged the US to disclose further information, exercise transparency on coronavirus cases and provide an explanation to the public.

“The international community has different views on the origin of COVID-19, and China always believes this is a scientific issue that requires scientific and professional opinions,” Geng Shuang, Chinese FM spokesperson said during a routine press conference on Friday.

When asked if questions raised by Zhao represent China’s official stance, Geng said the origin of COVID-19 is a question for science, which needs to be based on professional consultations – “that is the Chinese stance,” he added. 

The origin of COVID-19 is still disputed, and some US officials and congressmen have fired groundless accusations at China, and we firmly oppose such acts, Geng said. 

Zhao posted these concerns on his Twitter handle, resonating with similar doubts raised by the Chinese public.

Global Times