COVID-19 Origin-Tracing Is a Matter of Science, Not Politics

新冠病毒溯源是科学问题，不是政治问题

 

Ambassador Wang Xuefeng Contributes an Article on COVID-19 Origin-Tracing

驻博茨瓦纳大使王雪峰在博媒体《报道者报》发表署名文章

 

20 August 2021

2021年8月20日

 

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has joined hands with all other countries in an effort to pull through the tough times together. China launched the largest emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and supported global economic recovery and post-pandemic reconstruction, contributing China’s part to the building of a global community of health for all. In the First Meeting of the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation hosted by China on 5th August, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced through written message that China will strive to provide 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the world throughout this year and offer 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX for the distribution of vaccines to developing countries.

新冠肺炎疫情暴发以来，中国始终同各国携手团结、共克时艰，开展了新中国历史上最大规模的紧急人道主义行动，支持全球经济复苏和疫后重建，为构建人类卫生健康共同体作出努力和贡献。8月5日，中国主持召开新冠疫苗合作国际论坛首次会议，中国国家主席习近平在书面致辞中，宣布今年全年中国将努力向全球提供20亿剂疫苗，并向“新冠疫苗实施计划”捐赠1亿美元，用于向发展中国家分配疫苗。

 

While China strives to boost international cooperation against COVID-19, it also takes the issue of origin-tracing seriously. Origin-tracing is an important link in fighting all pandemics to the extent that it will help prevent and tackle more effectively similar public health emergencies in the future. China has all along taken a scientific attitude as it engages in global cooperation on science-based origin-tracing. It invited WHO experts to China twice for relevant research. Earlier this year, a WHO team of leading experts carried out a 28-day joint research in China, and concluded that the pathway of lab leak is extremely unlikely. They also recommended further research on earlier cases around the world and the role of cold-chain and cold-chain products in viral transmission. These important conclusions, reached by following WHO procedures and rigorous scientific methodology, are authoritative and science-based, and should be the basis for the next phase of global origin-tracing.

在努力促进抗疫国际合作的同时，中国也以严肃的态度对待新冠病毒溯源问题。溯源是应对传染病大流行的重要环节，有助于防范并更好应对今后可能出现的类似公共卫生危机。中国一直秉持开放、透明的态度积极参与全球病毒溯源合作，先后两次邀请世界卫生组织专家来华开展相关研究。今年年初，世卫组织专家组在华开展了为期28天的联合研究，得出实验室泄漏极不可能等结论，并建议在全球更广范围内寻找可能的早期病例，以及进一步了解冷链及冷冻食品在病毒传播过程中作用。这些结论的形成，遵循了世卫组织的程序，采取了科学的方法，具有权威性和科学性，理应作为下阶段全球溯源工作的基础。

 

Last month, however, the WHO Secretariat notified its member states without prior consultation about a work plan on a second-phase origins study, including the so-called "lab leak" theory as a research priority. The plan is not only inconsistent with the requirements of the 73rd World Health Assembly resolution, but also ignores the conclusions and recommendations of the first-stage joint research report. So far, 70 countries have expressed opposition to politicizing origin-tracing by sending letters to WHO Director-General, and issuing statements or diplomatic notes, etc. Over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks from 100-plus countries and regions in the world submitted a Joint Statement to the WHO Secretariat, firmly opposing the politicization of origin-tracing.

然而就在上个月，世卫组织秘书处在未同成员国提前协商的情况下，提出了第二阶段溯源工作计划，把所谓的“实验室泄漏论”列为研究重点。这份工作计划不仅不符合第73届世卫大会决议的要求，更无视第一阶段联合研究报告得出的结论和建议。截至目前，70多国通过致函世卫组织总干事、发表声明或照会等方式，反对溯源问题政治化。100多个国家和地区的300多个政党、社会组织和智库向世卫组织秘书处提交《联合声明》，坚决反对将溯源问题政治化。

 

China’s position on global origin-tracing has been consistent and clear-cut. First, origin-tracing is a matter of science. It should be and can only be left to scientists to identify, through scientific research, the virus’s zoonotic source and animal-human transmission routes. No country has the right to put its own political interests above people’s lives, nor should a matter of science be politicized for the purpose of slandering and attacking other countries.

中方对全球溯源问题的立场是一贯的、明确的。第一，新冠病毒溯源是科学问题，应该也只能由科学家研究找到病毒的动物源头和向人类的传播途径，任何国家都无权为一己政治私利而漠视生命、将科学问题政治化或对别国进行抹黑攻击。

 

Second, the findings and recommendations of the WHO-China joint study report are widely recognized by the international community and scientists, and must be respected and implemented by all parties, including WHO. The future work of global origin-tracing should and must proceed from that basis, instead of reinventing the wheel.

第二，中国—世卫组织联合研究报告得出了国际社会和科学界公认的结论和建议，必须得到包括世卫组织在内的各方尊重和实施。今后全球溯源工作应该也只能在此基础上开展，而不是另起炉灶。

 

Third, China has all along supported and will continue to take part in science-based origin-tracing efforts. What China opposes is politicizing origin-tracing, or origin-tracing that goes against the WHA resolution and disregards the joint study report.

第三，中方始终支持并将继续参加科学溯源，我们反对的是政治溯源，违背世卫大会决议的溯源，以及抛弃中国—世卫组织联合研究报告的溯源。

 

Fourth, the WHO Secretariat should act on the WHA resolution, conduct thorough consultation with member states on the global origin-tracing work plan, including the follow-up mechanism, and fully respect the views of member states. Very importantly, the plan for origin-tracing involving a particular country must be decided through consultation with the country concerned, as it provides the basis for effective cooperation to be conducted.

第四，世卫组织秘书处应按照世卫大会决议要求，就全球溯源工作计划、包括后续机制同成员国充分协商，充分尊重成员国意见，对当事国的溯源计划更应同当事国协商确定，在此基础上有效开展合作。

 

The virus knows no borders and does not distinguish between races. China, like other countries, is a victim of the pandemic, and we all hope to find out the origin of the virus and cut off its transmission as early as possible. Given the ongoing spread and rebound of the virus, the priority remains to be stepping up equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and enhancing solidarity and cooperation. Origin-tracing cooperation must be based on science, and politicization must be firmly rejected. China has already made feedback to the WHO Secretariat on how to revise its plan for the second phase of origin-tracing, and looks forward to working with other parties to carry out science-based global origin-tracing to contribute China’s part to humanity’s final victory over COVID-19.

病毒没有国界，疫情不分种族。中国和世界各国一样，都是疫情的受害者，都希望尽快找到病毒源头，及早阻断疫情传播。当前疫情反复蔓延，加大疫苗公平分配，团结合作抗击疫情仍是当务之急。溯源合作必须坚持科学的方向，必须坚决反对政治化。中方已向世卫组织秘书处反馈了对其第二阶段工作计划的修改意见，并期待同各方一道，积极开展全球科学溯源，为人类最终战胜疫情作出中国贡献。