The East Asian country China is open for an independent investigation for determining the origins of the deadly novel coronavirus or COVID-19 which is currently seeking the world, its ambassador to Berlin mentioned to a German magazine on Friday, amidst the allegations by the US that it came from a laboratory.
China had rejected as the groundless US and Australian queries about how it had handled the coronavirus outbreak, stating that it had been open and transparent, despite the growing suspicion about the accuracy of the official death tally.
"We are open to an international investigation," Wu Ken told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview. "We support the exchange of research among scientists. "...But we reject putting China in the dock without evidence, assuming its guilt and then trying to search for evidence through a so-called international investigation."
Australia has called for an international investigation
Australia has called for an international investigation into the origins and spread of the virus that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. The US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say there is evidence it originated in a Wuhan laboratory, without saying what the evidence is. A German intelligence report cast doubts on their accusation.
Some 3.86 million people have been reported to be infected around the world and 268,620 have died, according to Reuters tally. Responding to Australia's efforts to establish support for an international inquiry, France and Britain have said their focus is fighting the virus, not apportioning blame.
Trump has been fiercely critical of China and the World Health Organization and has announced the United States will withdraw funding from the UN agency. Many scientists and politicians say now is the time to increase, not cut, funding to the WHO so that it can help find a vaccine.
(With agency inputs)
