The Chinese government has lashed out at references to China in joint statements made yesterday by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minis
By emphasizing unity of jointly weathering COVID-19 pandemic, and boosting economic recovery and cooperation on international and regional issues, the BRICS Foreign Ministers virtual meeting on Tuesday was seen by observers as sending a strong signal of bloc members desire to uphold multilateralism, and deterrence to countries like the US that tried to fragment the organization and sow discord among the BRICS members.
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the United States has “politicised” the origins of COVID-19 by calling on intelligence agencies to act and this “gravely disrupted” any progress.
“These US acts which politicise origins study have gravely disrupted and undermined normal international cooperation in origins study,” Wang Wenbin said.
“And created difficulties and barriers for national efforts to fight the virus and save lives."
China’s mouthpiece urged the United States not to interfere by calling on intelligence agencies and instead let scientists lead the investigations into the origins.
“We stand for a scientists-led study of origins featuring solidarity and cooperation, not an intelligence-led investigation stoking confrontation and sowing division," the statement read.
“The process should not be dictated by any country's will."
In the first face-to-face meeting between heads of Australia and New Zealand, Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern on Monday expressed grave concerns over developments in.