"China May Not Be the Origin of COVID-19?"... Is China Shifting Blame to Other Countries?

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] A key figure in the Chinese medical community has suggested that the origin of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) may not be China but another country, sparking anticipated controversy. Although no specific country was mentioned, by referring to the current situation, the implication was that "it could have started abroad."

On the 27th, Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated, "(COVID-19) was first discovered in China, so China was considered the starting point, but looking at the current foreign COVID-19 situation, it cannot be said with certainty that it started in China."

While Academician Zhong's remarks could be interpreted simply as saying that China is not solely responsible for the current COVID-19 situation, they could also be aimed at countries like South Korea, where confirmed cases have recently surged.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Regarding COVID-19, Academician Zhong attributed the slowdown in the spread, contrary to foreign predictions, to the Chinese government's strong lockdown policies. He added, "I am confident that by the end of April, COVID-19 will be basically under control."

He said, "In mid-February, we predicted that the end of February would be the peak period (of COVID-19 in China)," but also noted, "At that time, the foreign situation was not taken into account, but now that the foreign situation has changed, other considerations are necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.