Battling calls for intl probe into COVID-19 origin, China says it has no legal basis or utility

Fighting back mounting calls for an international enquiry into origin of coronavirus that broke out in Wuhan, China on Monday said such a probe has precedence or legal basis and investigations into such pandemics in past have t provided any conclusive results.

China came with a nuanced response to calls for a neutral international probe into origins of virus which has wrecked havoc across globe, as a media report quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as saying that country must get rey for unprecedented external versity and challenges in long run over COVID-19 crisis.

Xi's warning came amid China's “deepest ecomic contraction in nearly a century”, restructuring of global supply chains and threats to Beijing's colossal Belt and Ro Initiative, (BRI), Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Monday.

Besides US President Donald Trump, who stepped up demand for an investigation into origin of virus and wher it escaped from Wuhan Institute of Virology, Britain, Australia and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for more transparency from Beijing on COVID-19 origins.

Answering a spate of questions on China's response and wher it would agree for an independent probe into origin of virus later when things settle down, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang played it down saying that investigations in past on such viruses achieved little.

“ origin of virus is a matter of science and should be studied by scientists and professionals. Such research and conclusive answers can only be drawn after getting mutually reinforcing evidence on epidemiological study and virology studies. It is a very complicated issue often it takes a lot of time and re is a degree of uncertainty,” he said.

“Throughout human history, tracing origins of many diseases took a dozen years or deces. Some progress was me but a conclusive answer has t been reached,” he said, ding that work is still going on.

“So re have been arguments and ories put forward but studies in world have t clearly identified origin and transmission routes of virus. So re is science basis to draw a clear conclusion about origin of (past) viruses", he said.

Geng said aim should be “to find out how it occurs and prevent future dams to mankind. It is t about retribution and or accountability. re is precedence in world for this and re is legal basis.”

present focus of international community should be to control COVID-19 pandemic and save lives.

coronavirus has infected nearly three million people and claimed over 200,000 lives worldwide.

China's overall death toll stood at 4,633 and confirmed cases reached 82,830.

“Politicising issue of origin of virus goes against spirit of science. It disrupts international cooperation and mutual trust and will t help with global cooperation to fight virus”, he said.

Brushing aside demand of enquiry by some US politicians, Geng said besides sharing geme sequence of coronavirus with various countries, China me an important contribution to world by sharing its experience with various countries in world.

“Still some people are hyping up so-called investigation that is inconsistent with international cooperation and ir palatial maeuvring will t succeed,” he said.