The U.S., the European Union, and Australia are demanding an investigation into how the coronavirus started in Wuhan. In the past, China has refused the request. However, on May 6, Chinese officials sent different messages on whether Beijing would offer to cooperate with such an investigation.
#1: At the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Press Conference on May 6, when asked when China would invite the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct such an investigation, Hua Chunying stated, “Regarding this kind of scientific investigation and study, we, of course, hold an open attitude and are willing to continue close cooperation with the WHO… We are willing to, in addition, work with the international community on fighting the pandemic, and support the review and summarization of the pandemic situation at an appropriate time…”
Hua also criticized the U.S. for presuming China was guilty and using the investigation to play political games. (China’s Foreign Ministry Website)
#2: Chen Xu, China’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said on May 6 that, as long as the coronavirus is spreading and as long as the U.S. is still accusing Beijing, China will reject any international scientists’ requests to investigate the origin of the virus. When asked when China will invite the WHO to conduct an investigation, Chen said, “We cannot tolerate the free spread of such a ‘political virus’ (referring to the U.S. stating the virus came from the Wuhan Lab of Virology).” As for the invitation to the WHO, Chen said that, on one hand, Beijing must decide what the high priority (items) are and, on the other hand, Beijing needs a good environment. (Radio France International)
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1. Excerpt in Chinese:
2020年5月6日外交部发言人华春莹主持例行记者会
追问：如有需要我们可以向你提供有关采访文字稿。中国将于何时邀请世卫组织进行调查？
华春莹：我想提醒你关注一下近日中国外交部副部长乐玉成先生接受NBC采访时候说的观点。中方一直跟世卫组织保持着非常良好的沟通与合作。人类就是在同各种疾病抗争中发展起来的，每一场重大流行病都给人类留下经验教训。对于这方面科学调查研究，我们当然持开放的态度，愿意跟世卫组织继续密切合作，以便今后更好地应对此类重大传染性疾病。
溯源问题是一个科学、专业的问题，应该交由科学家和疾控领域专家去研究。最近这几天出现了很多相关报道，比如法国有报道称，去年秋天法国已经出现确诊病例，美国新泽西州一个市长说去年11月他就感染了新冠病毒肺炎。我也注意到世卫组织卫生紧急项目执行主任瑞安5月4日对媒体表示，世卫组织愿意接收所有可能指向病毒来源的信息，并基于所得信息做出分析和判断，但对病毒来源的调查需要“以科学为中心”，让科学家主导。
中方一直本着公开、透明、负责任态度，一直与世卫组织保持密切沟通。我们也愿意继续以实际行动支持世卫组织为国际抗疫发挥领导作用。我们愿在继续携手国际社会抗击疫情的同时，支持在适当的时候对此次疫情进行回顾、总结，目的是推进国际卫生合作，完善全球公共卫生治理，特别是支持发展中国家公共卫生体系建设，以便今后国际社会能够更好应对类似挑战，维护世界人民的生命安全和身体健康。
与此同时，美国国内有些人信口雌黄散布中国制造或者中国散播病毒，甚至要有罪推定式地利用所谓“调查”来搞政治操弄，企图把中国放在被告席上，对中国进行所谓“追责”和“索赔”，这一做法有违科学研究的初衷，干扰国际合作，对此我们坚决反对。
Source: China’s Foreign Ministry Website, May 6, 2020
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/fyrbt_673021/t1776571.shtml
2. Excerpt in Chinese:
中国驻日内瓦联合国大使陈旭周三5月6日表示，只要新冠病毒还在大流行，只要美国还在指控北京，中国就拒绝国际科学家对病毒来源展开调查。
当被问及北京当局何时会向世卫组织发出邀请，以便国际专家可以前往这次疫情的摇篮武汉调查时，陈旭表示，目前的外交环境不允许这样做。他谴责美国领导人宣称病毒来自武汉一家病毒学研究实验室。
他说，我们不能容忍这样的”政治病毒”自由传播(…)，现在应该竭尽全力对抗真正的病毒。”
他解释说，至于向世卫组织发出邀请之事，目前，一方面我们必须确定什么是优先事项，另一方面，我们需要一个良好的气氛。
Source: Radio France International, May 6, 2020
http://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200506-费加罗-中国拒绝国际调查病毒来源