An article containing the conspiracy theory claiming the COVID-19 coronavirus was produced by US-linked laboratories in Ukraine has gained attention on social media in China.
The article, titled 'Research verifies that COVID was manufactured by an American company', was published by China's state-linked tabloid Global Times on Wednesday.
A topic thread discussing the article went viral on Sina Weibo, usually known as the Chinese version of Twitter. As of press time, it had been viewed 1.67 billion times and garnered 292,000 comment threads. The article has also been republished by 45 other Chinese outlets.
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The coronavirus was first detected in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. However, people are still speculating its exact origins. A leading theory is that it first passed to humans from animals at a market in Wuhan where live animals were sold. But some believe the virus may have accidentally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan that studies coronaviruses.
The article also claims that Global Times had come 'one step closer to the truth' regarding the virus' origins, and that the Russian army had 'found a lot of evidence in Ukraine' of US-linked laboratories producing biological weapons.
The Global Times wrote in the article:
The article also claimed there was 'heavy evidence' of Russia having found documents bearing the 'signatures of US government officials and the seals of relevant US government departments.' Nevertheless, The Global Times did not provide visual or documented evidence in the article to back up its claims.
Many Weibo users expressed their outrage over the article, with some calling for the US to be investigated:
People on social media are commenting on the conspiracy theory and Chinese social media's reaction to it:
The article, titled 'Research verifies that COVID was manufactured by an American company', was published by China's state-linked tabloid Global Times on Wednesday.
A topic thread discussing the article went viral on Sina Weibo, usually known as the Chinese version of Twitter. As of press time, it had been viewed 1.67 billion times and garnered 292,000 comment threads. The article has also been republished by 45 other Chinese outlets.
Getty Images
The coronavirus was first detected in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. However, people are still speculating its exact origins. A leading theory is that it first passed to humans from animals at a market in Wuhan where live animals were sold. But some believe the virus may have accidentally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan that studies coronaviruses.
The article also claims that Global Times had come 'one step closer to the truth' regarding the virus' origins, and that the Russian army had 'found a lot of evidence in Ukraine' of US-linked laboratories producing biological weapons.
The Global Times wrote in the article:
The article also claimed there was 'heavy evidence' of Russia having found documents bearing the 'signatures of US government officials and the seals of relevant US government departments.' Nevertheless, The Global Times did not provide visual or documented evidence in the article to back up its claims.
Many Weibo users expressed their outrage over the article, with some calling for the US to be investigated:
- America is the world's virus!
- Give me back my three years
- The outbreak of the Wuhan epidemic is directly related to the soldiers who participated in the military experience in the United States, and the virus found in the seafood market in Wuhan is also directly related to the frozen seafood sent to Wuhan by the United States.
- If the evidence is conclusive, major powers such as China and Russia must take the lead in pursuing U.S. crimes
People on social media are commenting on the conspiracy theory and Chinese social media's reaction to it:
- f**k nuclear weapons, propaganda is the superweapon of our age.
- "Stupidity isn't a virus, but it sure is spreading like one." -Sandy Cheeks
- Ah yes, Ukraine, the best place for USA to house all of it's laboratories. Since it's right next door it makes perfect sense
- It's so weird that people think the US would have a lab in an unstable region right on the boarder with its mortal enemy lol
- But.... didn't their own government also agree it came from Wuhan? So by extension they are claiming conspiracies against their own government?
