US to continue working with partners to press China on COVID-19 origin probe, says Biden

US President Joe Biden (File Photo)
US President Joe Biden (File Photo)

Washington [US], August 28 (ANI): The United States will continue working with international partners to press China to cooperate with investigations into the origins of the COVID-19, President Joe Biden said on Friday (local time).

"The United States will continue working with like-minded partners around the world to press the PRC to fully share information and to cooperate with the World Health Organization's Phase II evidence-based, expert-led determination into the origins of COVID-19 - including by providing access to all relevant data and evidence," Biden said in a statement.

Biden's statement came shortly after the release of an unclassified summary of the US intelligence community's assessment on the novel coronavirus origins that was largely indeterminate apart from the determination that it was likely not a bioweapon.

US Intelligence Community said that the cooperation of China will be needed to reach a conclusive assessment on the origins of COVID-19.

"China's cooperation most likely would be needed to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of COVID-19. Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the United States," the US Intelligence Community said in its unclassified summary of assessment on the novel coronavirus origins.

The US Intelligence Community has concluded that China's unwillingness to participate in the investigation reflects its own uncertainty about the possible consequences of the probe as well as Beijing's frustration with the international community that uses the issue to exert political pressure on China, reported Sputnik. (ANI)