Why is China resisting an independent inquiry into how the pandemic started?

Beijing continues to attack motives of countries calling for coronavirus investigation, and halts imports from Australian beef firms

It has concerns over any potential investigation’s timing and scope as it tries to avoid reputational damage, observers say

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Medical workers take a coronavirus patient to hospital in Wuhan, the outbreak’s initial epicentre. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:15am, 16 May 2020Updated: 7:23am, 16 May 2020

Beijing is under growing pressure from the United States, Australia and European powers to allow an international inquiry in China into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Analysts say Beijing has resisted calls from the Western powers – particularly the US – for an independent investigation into the handling and source of the outbreak for fear of how it will further dent its global image, already battered by criticism of initial cover-ups and combative Chinese efforts to reshape the narrative.

China’s foreign ministry has said it would support a review “at an appropriate time”, but hit out at what it described as the politicisation of the virus’ origin “by the US and some other countries” for an inquiry “based on the presumption of guilt”.

Scientists have not yet determined the origin of the virus or found “patient zero” of the outbreak, but a consensus of them believe it spread from animals to humans in Wuhan, central China, where the first cases were reported – including a cluster in a seafood market in which live wild animals were sold.

02:10

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it was in talks with China for a mission to go there to investigate the possible animal origins of the outbreak.

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Why is China resisting an independent inquiry into how the pandemic started?

Beijing continues to attack motives of countries calling for coronavirus investigation, and halts imports from Australian beef firms It has concerns over any potential investigation’s timing and scope as it tries to avoid reputational damage, observers say

Beijing continues to attack motives of countries calling for coronavirus investigation, and halts imports from Australian beef firms

It has concerns over any potential investigation’s timing and scope as it tries to avoid reputational damage, observers say