China responds to accusations over coronavirus origin

In China, the new CIA Director John Ratcliffe's remarks on the origin of the coronavirus were perceived as an attempt to exert political pressure on the PRC.

 Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, described these statements as a "political tool aimed at discrediting China". This was reported by Farsnews.

The reaction followed Ratcliffe's claims, in which he stated that the COVID-19 pandemic allegedly began due to a virus leak from a laboratory in Wuhan.

In his statement, Liu Pengyu called on the United States to stop making "baseless accusations" and instead disclose data on the operations of American biological laboratories located in various countries. He emphasised that the spread of such accusations only intensifies tensions in international relations and hinders objective dialogue.