E-Paper
Covid-19: Spat intensifies as China calls Mike Pompeo ‘insane’ for lab claim
WHO says US has no proof that coronavirus emerged from Wuhan facility
Chinese state media labelled US secretary of state Mike Pompeo as “insane” for his claims that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab, even as the World Health Organization (WHO) dismissed the theory as “speculative” as Washington hasn’t provided any proof yet.
Pompeo on Sunday said “enormous evidence” showed the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, doubling down on previous claims rejected by the WHO and experts. The lab theory has been pushed by the Trump administration, which has been critical of China’s handling of the outbreak.
WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said, “We have not received specific evidence from the US government relating to the purported origin of the virus. So from our perspective, this remains speculative.”
Titled “Evil Pompeo is wantonly spewing poison and spreading lies”, a commentary by Chinese broadcaster CCTV cited the WHO’s Ryan and Columbia University virologist Ian Lipkin, who claimed that the virus is natural in origin. “These flawed and unreasonable remarks by American politicians make it clear to more and more people that no ‘evidence’ exists,” it said. “The so-called ‘virus leaked from a Wuhan lab’ hype is a complete and utter lie.”
Commentaries in People’s Daily called Pompeo and ex-White House strategist Steve Bannon “lying clowns”.
