China Slams Trump’s COVID ‘Lab Leak’ Claims in Sharp Rebuke

April 23, 2025 — Tensions between the United States and China have flared up again over the origins of COVID-19, as Beijing accuses Washington of using the pandemic for political purposes.

This comes after the Trump administration published a new webpage supporting the theory that the virus may have originated from a lab in Wuhan, China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the move during a press briefing, calling it a “political manipulation under the pretext of COVID origins-tracing.” Guo said rehashing the lab leak theory was an attempt to smear China without any solid evidence.

“The U.S. should stop politicizing and weaponizing the tracing of the virus origins,” Guo said. “They need to stop scapegoating others and answer questions about their own role in the pandemic.”

Growing Support for Lab Leak Theory

The debate over where COVID-19 came from has never truly gone away. Although the virus was first reported in a seafood market in Wuhan in late 2019, many scientists and intelligence agencies have long considered the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a possible origin. The lab was known for conducting gain-of-function research—experiments that make viruses stronger to study how they might evolve.

Earlier this year, the CIA assessed that a lab-related accident is more likely than a natural spillover event from animals to humans. A December 2024 report by the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic echoed this, stating that “a lab-related incident is the most likely origin of COVID-19.”

China’s Response

In response, China continues to deny the lab leak theory. Beijing insists that it has been fully transparent and cooperative, although the World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2021 that its experts were denied full access to key data and research locations during their visit to China.

China also revived its own claim that the virus might have originated in the United States, possibly at Fort Detrick, a military facility in Maryland. Guo also mentioned a mysterious outbreak of vaping-related lung disease in the U.S. in 2019, hinting it could have been early evidence of COVID-19—though this idea has been widely dismissed by health experts.

What’s Behind the Renewed Focus?

The Trump administration’s renewed focus on the lab leak theory appears to be part of a broader strategy linked to trade and global influence. Former President Trump is once again promoting strong U.S. manufacturing and has threatened new tariffs on countries, including China, to protect American jobs.

This comes amid growing criticism of the EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S.-based nonprofit accused of channeling government funds to support risky virus experiments in Wuhan. The Department of Justice is now investigating the group’s pandemic-era actions.

Public Reactions and the Road Ahead

Chinese officials, including Liu Pengyu of the Chinese embassy in Washington, have urged people to “respect science and stay away from conspiracy theories.” Meanwhile, U.S. officials argue that the public deserves full transparency on how the pandemic began.

Though former President Trump told the New York Post he wouldn’t raise COVID-19 during trade talks with China, the topic continues to shape global politics and public opinion.