This is alarmingly conspiracy-theorist. He knows it, too, by his use of the phrase “almost certainly.” He knows this is an outrageous claim to make. While the possibility of a lab leak has not been ruled out, the theory that COVID-19 was deliberately engineered lacks substantial evidence. Many scientists and health experts argue that the most plausible explanation is still zoonotic transmission from animals to humans.

From a philosophical standpoint, acting on shaky or unproven information raises questions about responsibility – basically, we should only act on things we know for a fact to be true. Holding a government accountable without enough evidence can be seen as an overstep, and it risks spreading false accusations, which could do more harm than good. Ethically, it’s a problem to demand punishment or accountability based on uncertain claims because it could lead to injustice if those claims turn out to be wrong. Jumping to conclusions without proof undermines the core principles of rational thinking and the pursuit of truth.

The virus’s origin, whether zoonotic or the result of a lab accident, also may not necessarily implicate the entire Chinese government or CCP leadership in wrongdoing. From a justice standpoint, assigning collective guilt to an entire nation or government for what could be an accidental event might violate principles of fairness and due process. Additionally, the pandemic’s spread involved complex global factors, including delayed responses from many countries.

Full contextual analysis of Section 4.6: Trade here.