4 May
The US government says it has "enormous evidence" to prove the coronavirus originated in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an appearance on a US ABC News program on Sunday and said the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Beijing has denied the allegation.
Pompeo said China has a "history of running substandard laboratories" and that this is not the first time the world has been exposed to viruses as a result of failures at a Chinese lab.
His remark is in line with President Donald Trump's claim on Thursday that he saw evidence that gave him a high degree of confidence that the virus came from the Wuhan lab.
But neither Trump nor Pompeo provided any evidence. The secretary said the intelligence community continues its work to verify the allegation.
Pompeo said China employed the World Health Organization as a "tool" to conceal the spread of the coronavirus. He warned that the US will "hold those responsible accountable."
Pompeo said the Australian government agrees that China is to blame for what he called the tremendous human and economic tolls brought on by the pandemic. He added that European countries are also beginning to have a similar view.
NHK
