BND Findings on COVID-19 Origins Prompt Chinese Call for Restraint

The origins of the coronavirus remain unresolved, with recent reports indicating that the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has gathered evidence supporting one of the prevailing theories regarding the virus's emergence. In response, the Chinese government has urged caution and restraint regarding these findings.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China opposes any political maneuvering surrounding the COVID-19 origins question. She emphasized that scientific inquiries should be left to experts in the field. The BND's assertions have not only surprised Chinese officials but have also drawn attention from members of the Parliamentary Control Committee (PKGr), responsible for overseeing intelligence activities in Germany.

André Hahn, a politician from the Left Party and former PKGr member, expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding intelligence matters, noting that critical issues often come to light through media reports rather than official channels. He remarked that while the situation has improved somewhat, the focus on the virus's origins was not a primary concern of the PKGr, which typically addressed such questions in health committees. Hahn stated that if the German government possessed intelligence on this matter, it was obligated to inform the PKGr.

Mao reiterated that a World Health Organization (WHO) expert group had previously investigated the Wuhan laboratories and concluded that a leak from there was highly unlikely. The WHO has maintained that all hypotheses regarding the origins of SARS-CoV-2 remain valid, asserting that the investigation initiated in 2021 was merely the beginning of an ongoing inquiry. The organization has urged China to provide data and access to further understand the origins of COVID-19, referring to this as a moral and scientific imperative.

Reports suggest that the German Chancellor's Office had requested scientists to assess the BND's findings regarding the lab-origin theory, which posits that the coronavirus may have originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, where coronaviruses are studied. The alternative theory suggests a natural origin, similar to the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003.

In a response to inquiries about these developments, Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that discussions regarding intelligence findings are not suitable for public forums. Meanwhile, former Chancellor Angela Merkel has denied any allegations of concealing relevant information regarding the virus's origins, categorically rejecting such claims.

Konstantin von Notz, the chairman of the PKGr, welcomed the BND's focus on investigating the origins of the coronavirus, asserting that the government and intelligence agencies must provide comprehensive reports on the matter, including timelines and knowledge-sharing protocols.