EU's Foreign Affairs Chief calls for independent inquiry into coronavirus origin

Among other nations, the European Union has urged for an independent scientific inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus outbreak on May 14. High Representative of the EU for foreign affairs Josep Borrell deemed the inquiry ‘necessary’ in his column in a German newspaper and called on China for its contribution in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus that has rocked the world since it was discovered in China’s Wuhan in December 2019. It has now spread to over 213 countries and territories and has infected over 4.5 million people. 

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Even though China has repeatedly claimed that it was honest about the coronavirus data and open about its approach to contain the disease, the United States, EU and some Western countries have showcases mistrust. According to reports, the EU's foreign affairs chief has even said that China must stand up to its responsibilities ‘commensurate with its weight’ in battling the COVID-19 pandemic, research on its vaccines and also pumping the global economy. According to Borrell, the Asian superpower must also play its role in the major debt relief effort for the developing countries, especially the pens that are severely affected. 

Along with EU, even Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been trying to gather international support to launch an investigation into the origin and course of the virus outbreak. However, he also insisted that though his call was not an attempt to target China, an independent assessment would seem entirely reasonable and sensible given the extraordinary impact and implications.

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EU report on China

During the daily press briefing, while answering a question about a report by the European Union that stated China was spreading disinformation, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang reportedly said on April 27 that China is not “instigator” of such information but a “victim” of disinformation. According to international reports, Beijing was even pressuring Brussels to block the report that alleged China of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 disease after it originated in the mainland in late December. The report was finally released before the weekend after apparently shifting and changing some criticism directed towards the Chinese government. According to sources of an international media outlet, it was the European Union’s way to balance the act of accusing China amid coronavirus outbreak. 

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Image Source: AP