China today yet again claimed that COVID-19 was a ”natural and not man-made disaster”, asserting there was ”zero legal basis” for holding the country responsible and making it for the pandemic.

”The virus can break out at any time and any place and it is the common enemy of mankind. China, like other countries, is a victim of the epidemic, not a culprit,” the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi said in a note ”COVID-19, 15 Truths You Need to Know’’.

Incidentally, it came a day after senior Indian minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the novel coronavirus was an artificial virus, prepared in a laboratory. ”This is not a natural virus. That is the reason why our medical experts and scientists don’t have any solution to it. They never expected it,” he said in an interview to a TV channel.

”There is no legal ground to demand that China be held accountable and pay for COVID-19. According to international law, state responsibility occurs when acts of the responsible state constitute a breach of international law and there is a causal link between such acts and losses suffered by the injured state. China’s COVID-19 response does not breach any international law,” the Chinese note said.

On why Beijing “feared” an independent international investigation team visiting China, the note said China supported professional exchanges between scientists, but was firmly opposed to international investigation based on the presumption of ”guilt and politically-driven” agenda for the purpose of stigmatising the country. ”As for the Wuhan Institute of Virology, it is open to international communication. Ever since its establishment, it has received visits by many international scientists, including those from the United States,” it added.

China, it said, supported WHO Director-General in establishing a review committee according to the international health regulations with the mandate of the World Health Assembly or the Executive Board to assess global response to COVID-19 in an open, transparent and inclusive manner at an appropriate time after the pandemic was over.

The note said COVID-19 was still spreading around the world and the urgent task for all countries was to coordinate and cooperate to defeat the pandemic. ”What we oppose is unfounded charges against China and arbitrary investigation based on the presumption of guilt. One should not accuse China first and then run so-called international investigations just to make up the evidence. Political manoeuvres are just unhelpful and non-constructive,” it added.

Denying that China’s was giving medical aid to other countries to increase its geographical influence, the note said the only reason why China was actively assisting other countries was to fight the epidemic and save more lives. ”China has never asked any country to give any geopolitical rewards for China’s assistance.”

The note recalled that when China faced the critical situation of the epidemic, the Indian government donated two batches of medical supplies to China. ”After the outbreak of the epidemic in India, we gave help to the Indian side within our ability, opening up channels for India’s commercial procurement from China and provide various conveniences and assistance,’’ it said, adding China was willing to work with India to overcome the epidemic as soon as possible.