U.S. political manipulation of coronavirus origins exposes Achilles heels: media

Tourists are seen near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, May 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. political manipulation on the origins of the novel coronavirus has exposed its Achilles heels, Chinese daily Global Times said in an editorial on Sunday.

Noting that U.S. President Joe Biden gave U.S. intelligence agencies 90 days to report on whether the virus originated from an animal source or from a laboratory accident, the article said that what they will get in the end "is nothing but political."

What Washington is doing can hardly convince the masses in the scientific community, it said, adding that U.S. intelligence agencies "have a long record of fabricating lies for political purposes."

"Washington is too arrogant to realize that its vicious accusations against China have become a political gamble for itself. It has staked too many bargaining chips on credit from international morality," it said.

The United States "has no way to back down from this dangerous status," said the editorial, adding that the country "could meet its Waterloo in this battle: it might lose its credibility by abusing its soft power."