Cornered China Agrees To Inquiry Into Coronavirus Origin After Intense Pressure By 120 Nations Including India

The Xi Jinping led Communist Chinese government has agreed to an independent inquiry into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus during the ongoing World Health Assembly (WHA), Economic Times has reported.

A resolution drafted by the European Union with signatories from 120 countries including India seeks an investigation into the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s source and the process of its introduction into humans, was tabled at the WHA.

Besides demanding a probe into Coronavirus origins the resolutions also raised questions on the leadership of WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

After agreeing to the probe, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that all the parties had reached on a consensus over the draft resolution’s text.

“On the issue of the origin of the virus, all parties have agreed to International Health Regulation emergency committee suggested wording and ask the WHO chief to work in close collaboration with World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agricultural Organisation, and all countries to find out the animal source and the transmission routes of the virus through field investigations and find out the possible intermediary host”, Zhao was quoted as saying.

China’s cooperation though did not come without a fight.

The demand for a probe was spearheaded by Australia which has played a key role in garnering support. This has resulted in a backlash from China which has suspended beef imports from China and threatened to impose heavy duties on barley imports.