China Dismisses Lab Leak Theory as Origin of COVID-19, Calls It ‘Extremely Unlikely’

China has reiterated its stance that a laboratory origin of COVID-19 is “extremely unlikely,” referencing conclusions from a joint study conducted with the World Health Organization (WHO). This statement comes in response to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s recent assessment suggesting that a lab leak is a more probable origin of the pandemic, though the agency acknowledges this conclusion with “low confidence.” Beijing has urged the United States to cease politicizing the issue and to address international concerns regarding the virus’s origins.