US-China COVID War: 116 Countries Call For Probe Into Source of Pandemic
May 19, 2020
First reported in Australia’s Daily Telegraph, it is clear that despite the resolution is a positive move towards addressing concerns, though some experts expressed reservations concerning the investigation. The resolution does not explicitly call for an investigation into the origins of the virus, rather asking to examine the “actions of WHO and their timelines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Initiate, at the earliest appropriate moment, and in consultation with member states, a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation,” the resolution read. “To review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to Covid-19.”
Perhaps most disturbing is that the resolution does not specifically name China as the focus of the investigation but it is widely assumed that the investigation will center around China.
The Trump administration claims that the pandemic was the result of the naturally occurring novel coronavirus which was being researched at the Wuhan Virology Institute escaping from the lab. China has countered by pushing a conspiracy theory claiming that the virus may have been introduced into its territory by the US military.
The resolution also does not set out a specific method for an inquiry, suggesting using “existing mechanisms” for review as an option. The review would then make recommendations to “improve global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacity”.
World Health Organisation director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was tasked with overseeing the investigation despite him and his organization being the focus of much criticism claiming they facilitated China’s deceptions. The WHO echoes China’s initial claim that the virus was not transferred between humans. The WHO also recommended that borders be kept open.
A recent report by the Centra Intelligence Agency (CIA) titled “U.N.-China: WHO Mindful But Not Beholden to China,” claims that in January after it was clear the novel coronavirus epidemic that began in Wuhan was becoming a pandemic, the Chinese government began stockpiling medical supplies from other countries, pressuring the World Health Organization (WHO) to delay declaring a global health emergency in order to facilitate stockpiling.
The resolution also called for a universal and egalitarian response, calling for “the universal, timely and equitable access to and fair distribution of all quality, safe, efficacious and affordable essential health technologies and products including their components and precursors required in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic as a global priority.”
The WHO has also been criticized for its handling of previous pandemics and Dr. Ghebreyesus has been accused of mishandling epidemics when heading the health ministry of his native Ethiopia. The accusations against Dr. Ghebreyesus include corruption and ties to violent regimes.
China came out in support of the resolution. China’s president, Xi Jinping, addressed the conference by video.
“All along we have acted with openness, transparency, and responsibility,” Xi said.
After Australia began calling for the investigation last month, China responded with economic sanctions including massive tariffs on Australian barley and blocked some Australia meat imports.
The COVID-19 battleground extends beyond the international conference arena. The “Justice for Victims of COVID-19 Act” announced in Congress in mid-April would effectively strip China of its immunity and permit US citizens to sue the Chinese government for suppressing and misrepresenting COVID-19 information. At least six lawsuits have been filed against China in US federal courts seeking more than $20 trillion in damages.
China responded by putting at least four US Congress members, and two “entities” on its sanctions list.
The COVID-19 conflict with China may also affect the upcoming US presidential elections. Trump is clearly taking a hardline with China. Biden has been critical of this position, even criticizing Trump’s initial travel ban as being motivated by racism. Biden has also been accused of cultivating business opportunities for his son, Hunter, while on an official trip to China in 2013 as Vice President. Hunter Biden was forming a Chinese private equity fund and the Chinese business license that brought the new fund into existence was issued by Shanghai authorities 10 days after the trip, with Hunter Biden a member of the board. If the WHO investigation finds China to be culpable, it will be interesting to see if Biden calls them out for their sins.
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/150629/us-china-covid-war-116-countries-call-for-probe-into-source-of-pandemic/
【新聞看點】116國籲查病毒 北京空前孤立
2020年05月19日
世衛大會今天開幕，全球一百多個國家和地區與中共對陣，要求獨立調查中共病毒（俗稱武漢病毒、新冠病毒）源頭。習近平致詞表示，支持在疫情得到控制後，獨立調查世衛的抗疫表現。
116國家籲調查疫情源頭 有望通過
截止到今早7點，病毒已經攻入了188個國家和地區，全球總確診感染人數高達480萬4700人，死亡31萬6711人。照目前的發展趨勢判斷，估計在本周內總確診感染人數將突破500萬。
這場大瘟疫造成的衝擊相當慘重。但從武漢爆發疫情到現在，半年過去了，人們對病毒源頭仍沒有查清。而這個問題又直接關係到對疫情的防控，所以很多國家都呼籲，獨立調查病毒是如何從動物傳給人類的。
據路透社消息，由歐盟、澳洲等62個國家推動，要求獨立調查疫情起源傳播的決議草案，在會議開始前的2個小時，已經獲得了116個國家的支持，幾乎是達到了通過的門檻。
根據規定，一項決議草案如果能夠得到2/3會員國的支持，那麼就可以通過。就是說，在194個世衛組織成員國中，如果有129個成員國支持，那麼決議草案就會得到通過。
有消息稱，決議草案在措辭用字上非常小心，只是說世衛組織應該與世界動物衛生組織開展科學與合作的實地考察，確定病毒源頭及如何傳到人類。
決議草案中沒有提到中國、武漢等這些字眼。但是這場疫情仍然在繼續，就算不提中國、不提武漢，人們也都是清楚說的是誰，其實也根本用不著提中國和武漢。
這個局面，凸顯了北京被空前孤立的狀況。連中共視為朋友的俄羅斯和向中共伸手要錢的非洲兄弟們，也要求調查病毒源頭。
譚德塞15日說了一句意味深長的話，這次「將是世衛1948年肇建以來，最重要的一場世衛大會之一」。
歐盟、非盟和俄羅斯支持獨立調查
美國政界很早就提出要進行獨立國際調查，澳洲儘管受到中共威脅和報復，仍然要求獨立調查。此外還有印度、日本、南韓、英國、加拿大、印尼、馬來西亞、沙特等等。
不過這已經算不上甚麼新鮮事了。法廣從歐盟外交人員那裏得到消息，歐盟也要在這次大會上提出對大流行進行獨立審查的決議案。
歐盟的動作，代表著包括德國、法國在內的28個國家都支持向中國派遣國家專家代表團，獨立調查病毒源頭。
此外還有兩點值得注意，俄羅斯和非洲47個國家也都支持這麼做。
俄羅斯一向被中共視為朋友，但這次疫情給俄羅斯也造成了巨大衝擊，讓普京相當惱火。從通報的數字來看，除去中國大陸和伊朗兩個極不透明的國家之外，俄國的疫情已經躍升到了第二位，僅次於美國，總確診感染人數高達28萬1752人。
另一點讓北京燒心的是，中共的47個非洲「兄弟」，他們也提出了獨立調查的要求。為了拉攏非洲兄弟，北京沒少撒錢，成百上千億的美金撒在了非洲大地，還給非洲的在華留學生們特殊優待等等。
北京在非洲花錢，目的就是想在關鍵時候，能得到黑人兄弟的支持。沒想到，在中共最需要支持的時候，非洲集團用腳投票，選了另一邊。CNN指出，俄羅斯總統普京曾將中共領導人戲稱為「孤獨戰士」。沒想到這一句玩笑話，竟然一語成讖。
more:
https://hk.epochtimes.com/news/2020-05-19/31080805
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