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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on March 31, 2021
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Bloomberg: I have two questions. First, WHO's Director General has said the virus probe didn't adequately analyze the possibility of a lab accident before deciding that it's most likely the pathogen spread from bats to humans via another animal. In a briefing to member countries yesterday he said he is ready to deploy additional missions involving specialist experts. Does the foreign ministry have a comment on this?
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Hua Chunying: On your first question, the Chinese side has mad clear its position on the origin-tracing study report released by WHO. China has taken note of the report released by WHO. We commend the Chinese and international experts who have taken part in this joint study for their commitment to science, tireless industry and professionalism.
China has always been a supporter for global scientific research on the source of the virus and its transmission routes. We co-sponsored the WHA resolution on COVID-19 and support WHO-led cooperation on zoonotic source research among member states. Despite the daunting task of domestic prevention and control, China twice invited WHO experts in for study of origins. The Chinese side offered necessary facilitation for the team's work, fully demonstrating its openness, transparency and responsible attitude.
Study of origins is a matter of science, which should be jointly conducted by scientists all over the world. To politicize this issue will only severely hinder global cooperation in study of origins, jeopardize anti-pandemic cooperation, and cost more lives. It would run counter to the international community's aspiration for solidarity against the virus.
Study of origins is also a global mission that should be conducted in multiple countries and localities. We believe the joint WHO-China study will effectively stimulate global cooperation in origin-tracing.
As to your remarks that Director-General Tedros said the possibility of lab leak cannot be completely ruled out and they need further study, I want to say that in the China-WHO COVID-19 origin-tracing joint study, experts of the joint mission made field trips to institutions including the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control, the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and visited biosafety laboratories and had in-depth and candid exchanges with experts there. Through these field trips and in-depth visits, members of the mission unanimously agreed that the allegation of lab leaking is highly unlikely, and this is an important scientific conclusion made clear in the joint study report released this time.
I want to stress that China is conducting joint scientific research on origin-tracing with the WHO at the request of the latter. All parties should respect science and the opinion and conclusion of scientists. The WHO, in particular, should set a good example in this regard.
As for the question of further research, I think you may also note that in the video press conference of the WHO mission, the experts said that there has always been speculation about lab leak, but after earnest study in China, no suspicious signs have been found. They took a detailed look at the management of the laboratory, its working practices and recent virus research, and concluded that a "lab leak" was "extremely unlikely". They added that work could be done with laboratories around the world if there is further evidence that the hypothesis needs to be reassessed.
As I said yesterday, there is always a question mark over lab leak. The expert team had an in-depth study in Wuhan, and we also know there are many reports of early outbreaks various many places around the world. In addition to Fort Detrick, certain country has more than 200 biological bases around the world. So I think, if necessary, scientists should be allowed to work in a scientific spirit with relevant laboratories around the world. We hope that other relevant countries will cooperate closely with WHO experts in a scientific, open, transparent and responsible manner, as China has done. We believe this serves the interest of the world. Because everyone wants answers so that we can better respond to similar public health crises in the future.
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Kyodo News Agency: A follow-up on the WHO report. Yesterday 14 countries including the US released a statement expressing their concern and raising questions over the report of the WHO-China joint study. Do you have a comment?
Hua Chunying: We repeated many times that the study of origins is a scientific matter that should be conducted jointly by scientists all over the globe and should not be politicized. This is a consensus of the overwhelming majority of countries in the world. The US assembled a handful of countries and released this so-called statement, openly questioning and negating the joint report of the joint WHO-China study. This is solid evidence of their disregard for science and political manipulation of study of origins. The US has been working on this, even before the report came out, but with little support. It is deeply immoral to politicize study of origins in this way. Such unpopular move will only hamper global cooperation in tracing the origins, jeopardize international anti-pandemic cooperation, and cost more lives. It runs counter to the international community's aspiration for solidarity against the virus. This is crystal clear to the overwhelming majority of countries in the world. Such attempts will not succeed. Relevant countries should ask themselves: how did you do in the fight against COVID-19 and what have you done for global anti-epidemic cooperation?
AFP: I have a follow-up question on the comments by the WHO chief, who called yesterday for another investigation into the Wuhan Institute of Virology. So will China open a new WHO investigation into the Wuhan Institute of Virology?
Hua Chunying: I think your quote may not be accurate. According to the reports on the press briefing of the joint mission, the expert group said that there has been suspicion of a lab leak but with earnest research, the experts found no suspicious signs. The experts had candid and in-depth discussion with relevant personnel on the Chinese side and they learned in detail the management practice, working protocols and recent virology research of relevant labs. They think it is extremely unlikely that the virus is leaked from the lab. If there is further evidence that require necessary re-assessment of this hypothesis, they will carry out the work on relevant laboratories across the world.
That is why I said the expert panel believes that it is extremely unlikely that the virus escaped from the lab in Wuhan and this possibility is basically ruled out. But given that origin-tracing is a complex issue and that conclusions should be reached by scientists on the basis of facts, the experts said that if there is further evidence that requires necessary re-assessment of this hypothesis, they will carry out the work on relevant laboratories across the world. Therefore, we hope relevant countries can cooperate with WHO expert mission in an open, transparent and responsible manner like China did.
You may have noticed that the experts also said that the virus may have been spread in places other than China early on. This is one more reason that a global perspective is needed to carry out the origin-tracing work in multiple countries and sites. The report also proposes multiple tasks to be conducted worldwide. We hope the US and relevant countries can work with WHO in a science-based way like China did.
The Paper: The WHO said that the team "expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data. I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing". I wonder if China has any response?
Hua Chunying: After China and WHO agreed on the Terms of Reference (TOR) in July last year, China organized a large number of institutions and manpower to carry out data collection, collation, and analysis in accordance with the suggestions of the foreign experts. In the process of the joint mission, the Chinese and foreign experts also carried out a joint analysis of the data. To prepare for the scientific exchange and cooperation, the Chinese authorities gathered relevant institutions and several hundred scientists to collect, collate data and conduct initial analysis. The Chinese side also presented item by item raw data of particular concern. The international experts have also said on many open occasions that they had full and candid discussions with the Chinese side with regard to data issues. As the medical files contain a large amount of information which is personal privacy, relevant data are not allowed by law to be copied or taken abroad, which is common practice in many countries. The international experts said they completely understand. At yesterday's press conference, they reiterated this point. Going forward, China stands ready to continue working with international experts to jointly study and analyze the data.
China Daily: Some Western countries have accused the Chinese government of interfering in the WHO team's work, leading to a lack of independence, professionalism and transparency of the mission. Do you have a response?
Hua Chunying: The 17 international experts who came to China were all selected by the WHO. Most are from Western countries including the US, the UK, France and Australia. China didn't raise any objection to the makeup of the team. As a matter of fact, the Chinese government did a lot of administrative, technical and logistic support work for this joint study of origins, offered the team every convenience, and arranged a rich itinerary with many site visits. The experts on the mission made their own decisions independently as to where they would like to visit, who they would like to talk to and what they would like to talk about as the field work proceeded. The report is also drafted by the mission independently. It is just absurd to allege any sort of interference. Several international experts have said on multiple occasions that they visited all the places they wanted to go and met with all the people they wanted to see, speaking highly of China's openness and transparency.
Those outsiders who never took part in the joint study are now accusing the team of being interfered. This is highly frivolous and irresponsible. They want to muddy the waters by making up and spreading rumors to achieve their hidden political purposes. We can all see this very clearly.
Besides the origin-tracing issue, some in the West also have preconceptions with presumption of guilt on other issues, including on Xinjiang. As long as what they see does not conform to their imagination or conjecture, they will label it as results of intervention, the lack of independence and transparency. Facts have proved that every time they make such statements, they will be slapped in the face again and again by the facts. I hope that the relevant people can still show some respect for facts and give up such a bad practice or attempt of political manipulation.
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Wall Street Journal: Another follow-up question on Dr. Tedros' remarks on the need for further investigation into the possibility of a laboratory incident being behind the leak of the virus. Are you saying that China will not allow any further investigation of the Wuhan Institute of Virology or other Chinese laboratories? Or are you saying that it will only allow that if there is also investigation of the laboratories in other countries, including in the United States. Second question, do you have any response to the European Union's statement on the Wuhan mission which also expressed regrets over delays and the lack of access and called for an independent and transparent investigation. And thirdly, do you have any information on when the phase two studies of this global study will begin. Is China already working on some parts of that. If so, which parts?
Hua Chunying: In fact, I almost covered all three questions you asked in my previous replies. On your first question, I need to correct you on that this is not an investigation, it's a scientific joint study on COVID-19 origin-tracing. China's attitude has always been open, transparent, candid and responsible. As I just mentioned, the joint mission already visited various biosafety laboratories including the WIV. Through in-depth, candid scientific research and field visits, they basically ruled out the hypothesis of lab leak, deeming it as extremely unlikely. This conclusion is drawn after in-depth scientific study and joint research in Wuhan, and is also a definite and important conclusion in the joint report. As to whether this possibility exists or not, as I said just now, the experts have made it clear that if there is further evidence to warrant a reassessment, related work can also be carried out in relevant laboratories around the world.
As you all know, they've looked at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and done some research. So when will the US biological base at Fort Detrick, with a big question mark over it, allow international experts in for a visit? It seems that the US media have avoided covering this issue since the outbreak of the epidemic. In June 2019, there were reports in the US media about this, but later on we could hardly see any. Why is that?Haven't you American media always had a good tradition of getting to the bottom of things, following the facts, and doing in-depth investigative reports? Why do the media, which are so good at this kind of investigative reporting, now remain silent?
As far as China is concerned, our attitude is consistent. We have always been open, frank and aboveboard, and have welcomed the expert group to visit Wuhan. We also invited US media to visit and interview the Wuhan Institute of Virology. If necessary, we also hope that the US side can show such a candid and cooperative gesture as China did.
On your second question, like I said just now, the international experts who came to China this time were selected by the WHO, and most of them came from the US, the UK, France, Australia and other Western countries. China has not raised any objection to the composition of the team. How could anyone say we intervene in this? As I said just now, some Western countries are really used to preconceived ideas. Whenever they fail to achieve their goals and see conclusions that are not what they want, they will make accusations of lack of independence, openness and transparency. But what is the truth? How are they doing on their own?
As for your third question, I have just answered it. The joint mission has pointed out that the origin-tracing work should take a global perspective. The relevant work going forward will not be limited to a certain field, but needs to be carried out in multiple countries. The joint report also proposed a number of future origin-tracing tasks worldwide.
I think the origin-tracing is a bit like solving a criminal case, and there are a lot of confusing clues. It is necessary to eliminate all kinds of superficial issues and find out the essence from all kinds of signs. We can neither wrong a good man nor spare a bad man. All the clues that are worth investigating should be closely grasped. Some Western countries are now trying to interfere with the work of scientists. Such political interference is highly irresponsible and frivolous.
We still maintain that this work should be left to scientists, without any political interference or bias in attempt to disrupt the normal work of scientists. This is a responsible attitude we should assume, towards the whole mankind. Let scientists figure out what the problem really is so we can deal with it more effectively in the future.
Follow-up: Just to clarify my third question, I was talking about the phase two studies that are recommended in the report from the joint WHO China mission. This is the report that has been endorsed also by the Chinese side. It calls for several further steps, including closer analysis of potential earlier cases from before December 2019. Dr. Tedros again in his meeting with member states yesterday, said that it was necessary to get full access to data, including biological samples from at least September 2019. My question is, when do those phase two studies begin or if they have already begun? What work is already being done?
Hua Chunying: As I said just now, this is a matter for scientists, and I don't have the right to decide when or whether to do it. I would also like to remind you that the head of the WHO joint mission Peter Ben Embarek also mentioned in the video press conference that the virus could have been present outside of China in the early stage. Studies published in other countries also suggest the possibility of earlier transmission and more efforts should be made to study these papers. Therefore, the joint mission pointed out that the origin-tracing work should be based on a global perspective, and not be limited to a single region. It needs to be carried out in multiple places in various countries. As for when to start, we should leave this task to international experts and WHO. Don't be too hasty and don't try to intervene. That's the right attitude.
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