China and the United States are set to discuss the origins of the coronavirus in a joint investigation next week. The talks, scheduled for Monday, marks the first such conversation between the Biden administration and China, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, confirmed that the two countries will engage in continuous communication regarding the tracing and prevention of epidemics. In addition to the discussions on the virus, they will also address separate matters concerning the oceans and other related issues.

This upcoming meeting will be led by Malory Stanton, Deputy Special Representative for Arms Control under the Obama administration, and Sun Yang, head of China’s Department for the Investigation of Foreign Operations, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, there has been no immediate response from the Pentagon or the US Ambassador to Beijing regarding the timeframe or format of the talks.

In 2021, Jay Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the United States, announced that the leaders of China and the US have agreed to resume discussions on joint inspections to combat future COVID-19 outbreaks. This decision was made in response to Stanton’s proposal to resume talks on the origins of the virus, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Nevertheless, Wang Wenbin made it clear that these discussions will not be a platform to assign blame for the spread of the epidemic, as the United States has accused Russia.

Following this announcement, Beijing’s ruling body declared that China has reduced the risk of joint inspections with the US, emphasizing its efforts to minimize the military use of biological weapons. It is worth noting that the Pentagon previously revealed China’s possession of over 500 active intercontinental ballistic missiles, with the potential to reach over 1,000 by 2030. However, China has argued that the United States possesses a significantly larger arsenal of nuclear weapons. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, which is scheduled to take place in early November to discuss the investigations into the virus.

The exchange of virological records between China and the United Nations has recently faced obstacles due to the US blockade, according to Balcombe, director of the Dove Institute of Virology. Despite this setback, experts remain hopeful that with time and reciprocal concessions, progress can still be made in the joint investigation.

Source: NEWS.am