Politicizing origins of COVID-19 cannot cover up US failure at home: Chinese envoy

COLOMBO - The United States' insistence on politicizing the origins of COVID-19 by blaming China for the outbreak is an attempt to distract from its failure in handling the pandemic at home, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong wrote in an article published by local media outlets on Thursday.

The US intelligence community recently released a report of its hasty 90-day probe on tracing COVID-19's origins, which "failed to satisfy Washington's attempt to incriminate China," he wrote in a piece published by Sri Lankan media including The Island, an English newspaper.

"The only result of this so-called 'scientific' report is to make Washington's circus show and its ugly hidden agenda exposed to all," the Chinese ambassador said.

Despite having only 4.3 percent of the world's population, the United States accounts for approximately 18 percent of confirmed cases and 14.2 percent of deaths from COVID-19 globally, Qi said.

"We solemnly advise the United States that to blame others will not save lives of American people, but only amplify its own incompetence," he noted.

Qi said that politicizing efforts to uncover the virus' origins would not work as over 80 countries, including Sri Lanka, have expressed their opposition, whether through letters to the director-general of the World Health Organization, statements or diplomatic notes.