America and the China lab leak theory
Viruses thrive on ignorance. China’s refusal to co-operate with investigations into Covid’s origins is thus self-harming. Not only does it deepen fears that China will be late in alerting the world to the next novel virus outbreak; it fans conspiracy theories that coronavirus was a Chinese plot.
More than three years after Covid erupted, the world has made little progress on preparing for the next pandemic, which is probably a question of time. The fact that the US and China are ensnared in a cold war makes such transparency seem increasingly fanciful. Cold wars stem from mistrust. Global health warning systems are built on trust.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Edward Luce
