Chinese mass media quoted a Swiss biologist who said the United States had interfered with WHO’s COVID-19 investigation. The Swiss embassy says that biologists probably don’t exist.

[ad_1]

China Switzerland

During the 2019 Swiss President’s visit to Beijing, Chinese honorary guards are raising the flags of Switzerland and China. MADOKAIKEGAMI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

  • China’s national media has published several articles claiming that the United States interfered with WHO’s investigation into the origin of COVID-19.

  • Media coverage was based on a Facebook post made by an account belonging to Wilson Edwards, who stated that the Chinese media was a Swiss biologist.

  • The Swiss embassy said there was no record of a Swiss citizen of that name.

  • For more articles, visit the Insider homepage..

Chinese media deleted the article citing Swiss biologists’ allegations that the United States interfered World Health Organization [WHO] Coronavirus investigationAfter the Swiss Embassy in Beijing said that biologists probably don’t exist.

Media coverage was based on a Facebook post from an account linked to Wilson Edwards, who stated that the Chinese media was a biologist. Edwards’ profile was subsequently deleted, but he said he grew up and lives in Bern, Switzerland. Screenshots shared on Twitter by BBC Edward Lawrence..

Edwards posted on Facebook in July, stating that the United States has “even enormous pressure and intimidation” on researchers investigating the origin of the coronavirus. According to the Guardian.

According to the Guardian, Edwards told Facebook, “WHO sources say the United States is obsessed with attacking China on the issue of origin tracking, so it’s best to look at the data and findings. I’m reluctant. “

Several Chinese state media have published articles citing Edwards’ comments. “”The United States is using WHO as a political tool to overturn the report. “ Read the headline of the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party. Global Times, A tabloid known to reflect the opinions of party officials, Performed a work with a headline, “Tracking the origin of COVID-19: Allegations of “threatening” from the United States have emerged. “

On Tuesday, a Swiss delegation in China tweeted suspicions that Wilson Edwards was genuine.

“I’ve been looking for Wilson Edwards, a biologist quoted in the Chinese press and social media for the past few days. If you exist, we want to see you!” The embassy tweeted.

The Swiss delegation said in a tweet that there was no record of a Swiss citizen named Wilson Edwards, and no evidence of an academic article on biology cited in his name. The Edwards Facebook account was created on the same day as the accusation was posted, and the Edwards account has only three Facebook friends. Facebook did not immediately respond to insider requests for comments on the origin and authenticity of Wilson Edwards’ Facebook account.

The embassy urged Chinese media and netizens to remove social media posts citing Edwards.

“The Swiss embassy in China has published this tweet to draw attention to the fact that the person mentioned is not Swiss,” a Swiss embassy spokesman told insiders in an email. “The embassy posted this wording after it became clear that the Chinese press and social networks were reporting what was mistakenly presented as the work of a Swiss biologist.”

On Wednesday, the People’s Daily and Global Times deleted their articles. China’s delegations in Switzerland, Global Times and People’s Daily did not immediately respond to insider requests for comment.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the BBC’s Edward Lawrence said Edwards’ Facebook profile picture was taken from the Radcliffe Science Library at Oxford University. Travel blog.

China has stopped theories from other countries The coronavirus may be due to a laboratory leak in Wuhan. It denied these claims, and this time Proceeded with its own theory About viruses that started elsewhere.

According to a January WHO survey report “Very unlikely” The virus came from a laboratory leak, but the debate has since gained momentum again. US intelligence report obtained by The Wall Street Journal The staff there said they got sick a month before the virus was discovered. May, President Joe Biden Orders New 90-Day Investigation According to US intelligence on the origin of the virus.

Read the original article insider



[ad_2]