Beijing, China – In a firm statement issued today, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry declared that the Wuhan Institute of Virology had no role in creating or leaking the COVID-19 virus. This assertion comes amidst ongoing international speculation and debate regarding the origins of the virus, which has led to a global health crisis since its emergence in late 2019.
During a regular press conference held on Wednesday, the spokesperson emphasized that the institute has never conducted gain-of-function research on coronaviruses, directly countering claims that have implicated the lab in the creation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “The Wuhan Institute of Virology was not involved in the creation or leakage of the COVID-19 virus,” the official stated, aiming to quell rumors and reaffirm China’s stance on the matter.
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This declaration follows multiple reports and theories suggesting a possible lab leak from the Wuhan facility, which has been under scrutiny since the earliest days of the outbreak. International bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) have previously investigated the origins of the virus, with findings generally inconclusive on the lab-leak hypothesis.
The stance from China’s government comes at a time when posts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have been trending with similar assertions from various sources, although these social media claims are often treated with caution due to their potential for misinformation. The statement from China’s foreign ministry reinforces the official narrative but does little to settle the debate, as various intelligence reports from different countries continue to examine the origins of the virus with differing levels of confidence in their findings.
Key Points:
China’s Denial: The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was not involved in creating or leaking the COVID-19 virus.
Gain-of-Function Research: China denies that the institute conducted gain-of-function research on coronaviruses, countering claims suggesting otherwise.
WHO Investigations: Previous WHO investigations into the virus’s origins have been inconclusive regarding the lab-leak theory.
