The ambassador to East Timor Xiao Jianguo published a signed article “Fighting the epidemic depends on unity and effective traceability depends on science” in “Voice of East Timor”
On August 25, 2021, the Chinese Ambassador to East Timor Xiao Jianguo published a signed article titled “Fighting the Epidemic by Unity, Effectively Tracing the Source and Relying on Science” in the mainstream East Timor newspaper “Voice of East Timor”. The full text is as follows:
The virus knows no borders, and the epidemic has no distinction of race. As the new crown epidemic continues to raging around the world, it is the consensus of most countries to unite and fight the epidemic, but there are still a few countries that are keen on political games and are trying their best to politicize the epidemic, stigmatize the virus, and instrument the traceability for their own sake. On the issue of virus traceability, politics is overriding science, and unity is replaced by smearing, attacking other countries, creating divisions, impeding anti-epidemic cooperation, and leading anti-epidemic efforts astray. As a supporter of scientific traceability and a promoter of cooperation in the fight against the epidemic, China firmly opposes this.
China, like other countries in the world, is a victim of the epidemic. China hopes to find the source of the virus as soon as possible and help people overcome the epidemic as soon as possible. To this end, China has always been actively participating in global scientific tracing cooperation with a scientific attitude, and has twice invited WHO experts to China to carry out virus tracing research. In March this year, the World Health Organization formally released the China-WHO joint research report on traceability, and made a scientific conclusion that “laboratory leakage is extremely unlikely” and proposed “searching for possible early cases on a global scale” and “ Research on the possibility of cold chain transmission of viruses” and other important suggestions. Recently, Chinese experts also took the initiative to submit a Chinese plan for the second-stage traceability work to the WHO.
On the issue of traceability, China’s position is consistent and clear. First, the tracing of the source of the new crown virus is a scientific issue. It should and can only be researched by scientists to find the animal source of the virus and the way of transmission to humans. China carried out a smear attack. Second, the China-WHO joint research report has drawn conclusions and recommendations recognized by the international community and the scientific community, which must be respected and implemented by all parties, including WHO. In the future, global traceability work should and can only be carried out on this basis, rather than starting anew. Third, China has always supported and will continue to participate in scientific traceability. What we are opposed to is political traceability, traceability that violates the resolution of the World Health Assembly, and abandoning the traceability of the China-WHO joint research report. Fourth, the WHO Secretariat should fully consult with member states on the global traceability work plan, including follow-up mechanisms, in accordance with the requirements of the WHO resolution, and fully respect the opinions of member states. It is determined through consultation and effective cooperation will be carried out on this basis.
Contrary to China, certain countries use various means to coerce and pressure the WHO Secretariat and international experts, and openly use intelligence agencies to conduct traceability investigations. This is disrespect for global scientists and science. Recently, more than 70 countries have supported the China-WHO traceability joint research report by writing letters to the Director-General of WHO, issuing statements or notes, and opposing the politicization of traceability issues. More than 30 countries have raised objections or reservations to the WHO Secretariat’s second-stage traceability work plan. More than 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks in more than 100 countries and regions in the world submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat, calling on WHO to conduct research on the traceability of the new crown virus in an objective and fair manner, and resolutely oppose the politicization of traceability. Countries generally support scientific tracing and oppose political tracing. In addition, in recent times, I myself have exchanged views with people from all walks of life in East Timor on the issue of virus traceability. The Speaker of the East Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the former president have all expressed support for scientific traceability, opposed political manipulation, and called for unity to fight the epidemic. This fully shows that the voices of justice are in the majority, and that some countries use the issue of traceability to engage in political manipulation is unpopular, and there is no way out.
The current epidemic is spreading repeatedly, increasing the equitable distribution of vaccines, and uniting and cooperating to fight the epidemic is still a top priority. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China has adhered to the concept of a community of human health, exchanged prevention and control experience with other countries, provided anti-epidemic assistance within its capacity, and took the lead in launching the world‘s largest vaccine cooperation operation, making outstanding contributions to world public health security. Up to now, China has provided more than 800 million doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries, ranking first in the world. More than 90% of the total vaccines provided by China go to Asian, African and Latin American countries. In June of this year, when East Timor was in urgent need of vaccines, China provided assistance to East Timor. This was the single largest amount of vaccine assistance East Timor received at that time. China will continue to provide the East with anti-epidemic assistance, including vaccines, in accordance with the needs of the East.
Vaccines are an important weapon for mankind to defeat viruses. But at present, the distribution of vaccines in countries around the world is extremely unequal, forming a huge “immune gap” between countries. In order to better promote anti-epidemic cooperation and ensure the fair distribution of vaccines, China recently held the first meeting of the International Forum on New Coronary Vaccine Cooperation and adopted the “Joint Statement of the International Forum on New Coronary Vaccine Cooperation.” In his written speech, President Xi Jinping announced that China will strive to provide 2 billion doses of vaccines to the world this year and donate US$100 million to the “New Crown Vaccine Implementation Plan”. This is another major move by China to implement its global public product commitments for vaccines. It will also make new contributions to global anti-epidemic cooperation.
The new crown pneumonia pandemic is a common challenge facing the world. As long as there is an epidemic in one country, mankind cannot completely defeat the virus. We must look forward and accelerate the fair distribution of vaccines, provide vaccines to developing countries, especially the least developed countries, as much as possible, and establish a global anti-epidemic barrier as soon as possible. We must look back again, insist on scientifically tracing the source, pinpoint the origin and transmission path of the virus, and take necessary measures to prevent similar epidemics from recurring.