A CIA report accused Beijing of trying to prevent the World Health Organization from sounding the alarm when a coronavirus outbreak in January, to be able to bring medical supplies from all over the world.
In a front-page report, Newsweek magazine said today that the CIA believes that China tried to prevent the World Health Organization from declaring an international emergency due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic last January, pending the ability to import sufficient quantities Of medical equipment to deal with the pandemic.
In a report, the magazine quoted officials at ” CIA” as saying “China has sought to put pressure on the organization by threatening to halt all forms of cooperation with them in the investigation of Coronavirus source, if the organization declared a global emergency health”.
This is the second report on the same topic issued by a Western intelligence agency, and is likely to exacerbate tensions between the United States and China over a pandemic that has killed 280,000 people worldwide, more than a quarter of them in USA.
According to “Newsweek”, the first report is a German intelligence assessment published by “Der Spiegel” magazine last week, in which it accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of personally pressuring WHO Director-General Tidros Adhanum Gebresus on January 21.
However, the UN has denied any personal interference by the Chinese president in its work and reports, but has declined to address the issue of whether Chinese officials have made any effort to delay or prevent the declaration of a global health emergency, according to the American Journal.
“We do not comment on specific discussions with member countries, but we can say that at all times during the pandemic, the WHO has acted in accordance with its mandate as an evidence-based technical organization focused on protecting all people in all areas,” WHO spokeswoman Christian Lindemeyer told Newsweek magazine.
“In its recommendations, WHO is based on science, best public health practices, evidence and data, and advice from independent experts.
US intelligence officials who spoke to “Newsweek” could not say whether Chinese President had played a role in pressuring the World Health Organization.
China has been widely criticized for its treatment of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, and accused Beijing of trying to silence doctors who tried to alert the world.
According to the Associated Press, Beijing has delayed the official announcement of the outbreak of the virus by six crucial days as people flee the affected Chinese city.
In response to a US intelligence claim that the virus escaped from the Wuhan laboratory, despite having no evidence to support this theory, China said that the US military was behind the spread of the virus on its soil.
Source: “Newsweek”
