‘Evading responsibility’: China points finger at US for COVID after White House cites ‘Lab Leak’

A new phase in the ongoing argument about where COVID-19 came from has begun, with the United States and China exchanging stronger accusations than before. The White House recently updated its official COVID-19 website, stating that the virus most likely originated from an accident in a lab involving gain-of-function research.

This announcement came after the CIA released an assessment suggesting that a lab leak was more probable than a natural origin, per CNN and Fox. However, they admitted their confidence in this conclusion was low. China responded quickly and strongly to these claims. As reported by NY Post, China released a detailed white paper pushing back against the U.S. position, arguing that there is significant evidence COVID-19 may have been spreading in the U.S. earlier than officially reported.

The paper accused the U.S. government of trying to deflect blame and avoid responsibility for how it managed the pandemic. It claimed that Washington’s focus on the Wuhan lab leak theory was a political tactic to distract from its own failures in handling the crisis. The Chinese government pointed to a joint study with the World Health Organization (WHO) that concluded the virus most likely passed from bats to humans through an intermediate animal host.

China claims US has more to do with COVID than first thought

The timing of China’s response is important. The White House’s updated COVID.gov website now clearly presents evidence supporting the lab leak theory. It mentions unusual features of the virus not seen in nature and notes how close the Wuhan Institute of Virology was to where the first cases appeared.

The site also discusses how former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci promoted the idea of a natural origin, how former President Joe Biden pardoned Fauci for possible offenses against the U.S., how social distancing rules and mask mandates were put in place, and how shortages of medical protective gear were handled. This information directly contradicts China’s version of events, which portrays the U.S. pandemic response as ineffective and lacking openness.

The changes to the White House website signal a shift in the U.S. government’s stance, which had previously been less certain about the virus’s origin. Along with the CIA’s reassessment, this strengthens the U.S. argument that the virus may have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. However, China’s official position remains firm in rejecting this theory, citing the WHO study and claiming that the U.S. is ignoring signs the virus was present in America earlier than admitted.

The accusations from both sides raise important questions about transparency and accountability in how countries responded to the pandemic. The U.S. focuses on evidence suggesting a lab leak, while China highlights its work with the WHO and criticizes the U.S. for its flawed pandemic response. The fact that leading scientific and intelligence agencies still don’t fully agree makes it even harder to determine the truth.