The Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Marco Rubio, recently released a comprehensive study which examined the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The study, consisting of over 240 pages and more than 80 pages of citations, was published on Rubio’s Senate website after several years of preparation.
Rubio stated in a press release that there is mounting evidence pointing to a potential lab accident as the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable. According to the report, the study found indications that Chinese authorities and scientific figures were aware of an outbreak prior to the public disclosure on December 31, 2019. The report suggests that a biocontainment failure or accident likely occurred at the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the second half of 2019, around the same time when the virus was introduced to the human population.
The report also highlights the Chinese Communist Party’s response to the early days of the pandemic, characterized by strict information controls, obfuscation, and punishment of whistleblowers. It emphasizes that Beijing shared information belatedly and only when compelled to do so. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the Chinese government’s efforts to establish itself as a global authority in scientific advancement, particularly in biotechnology and virology.
Rubio’s research sheds light on the history of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, including its connection to the Chinese government’s bioweapons programs and interest in coronaviruses. The report discusses the emergence of the Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) doctrine, which aims to achieve technological dominance in both civilian and military domains. The study presents a chronology of events leading up to the pandemic, highlighting key speeches by Chinese President Xi Jinping and steps taken by Chinese officials in enhancing disease surveillance and opening the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s Level 4 laboratory.
The report also mentions a proposal submitted in March 2018 by the EcoHealth Alliance, in collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and other institutions, for a project involving the production of viruses. The proposal’s similarity to the characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has raised questions about its potential connection to the pandemic.
