A journalist for “Axios on HBO” absolutely nailed China’s ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai for his spokesperson spreading the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus originated here in the United States in a military laboratory.
When Cui was on CBS’ “Face the Nation” last month, he definitely disavowed this lie. On February 9th, Cui was asked on the program: “There are people who are saying that these virus [sic] are coming from some- some military lab, not of China, maybe in the United States. How can we believe all these crazy things?”
At the time, Cui said this was “crazy.”
In the meantime, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhao Lijian has been publicly promoting this very conspiracy to an unsuspecting Chinese public.
As Axios reported, “There’s not a credible epidemiologist in the world who has shown evidence that the virus originated anywhere but China. Scientists believe the virus emerged from animals sold in a market in Wuhan, where the first cases of the disease were discovered.”
When Swanson pressed Cui on the matter, asking him whether he stands by his statement on Face the Nation, Cui doubled down. “That’s my position then and that’s my position now,” he said.
Journalist Jonathan Swan deserves a lot of credit here for pushing for the truth in the face of some of China’s lies. When he asked Cui whether his colleague had any evidence to support the conspiracy theory, Cui smiled. “Maybe you could go and ask him.”
Watch their exchange below:
China's ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai is asked by @jonathanvswan to respond to theories promoted by a Chinese government spokesman that the coronavirus originated in a U.S. laboratory.
— Axios (@axios) March 22, 2020
Watch the full interview on #AxiosOnHBO at 6pm ET/PT. pic.twitter.com/3f1I0z5kVR
Hat Tip: Axios on HBO