China News Service, Washington, May 5 (Reporter Shahan Ting) When the US National Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, attended the Senate nomination hearing on the 5th, local time, he said, "I have not seen" that the new crown virus originated from Any evidence from the laboratory or from the Wuhan market in China.
The nomination hearing held by the Senate Intelligence Committee that day was the first hearing held by the Senate after the resumption of this week. At the hearing, the parliamentarians entered the hearing room in batches, and the number of staff and media was also strictly limited. All personnel must maintain a "social distance".
At the hearing on that day, the "origin" of the new crown virus became the focus of attention of lawmakers from both parties. When Senator Angus King asked if he had seen evidence that the new coronavirus originated in the laboratory, Ratcliffe said, "I have not seen it." In response to Senator Tom Carton's question whether he had seen evidence that the new coronavirus originated in the Chinese market in Wuhan, Ratcliffe also said, "I have not seen it."
Recently, President Trump of the United States has stated that there is evidence that makes him “to a large extent believe that” the new coronavirus originated in the laboratory. US Secretary of State Pompeo also said that “a lot of evidence” indicates that the new coronavirus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan.
Ratcliffe said that issues related to the new coronavirus will become the focus of US intelligence investigations, including how and when they occur, and their impact on the world.
Asked what to do if the facts contradict the results the president wants, Ratcliffe said that no one ’s point of view will affect the independence of intelligence results.
According to US media reports, the latest report of the "Five Eyes Alliance", an intelligence coalition composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, shows that the new coronavirus is "almost impossible to come from the laboratory" but "probably appears naturally" The infection is caused by contact between humans and animals.
Ratcliffe is 54 years old. He started serving as the Federal Representative in 2015 and is a conservative member of the Republican Party. It is reported that the Senate will vote on Ratcliffe's appointment as soon as next week. If the vote is passed, he will formally become the new National Intelligence Director.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States was established after the "September 11" terrorist attack and was responsible for coordinating the operation of 16 US intelligence and security departments. (Finish)