“Five Eyes” intelligence alliance : Chinese government deliberately hid or destroyed evidence about the initial outbreak of the coronavirus

A research assessment reported to have been compiled by the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, comprising the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has stated that the Chinese government deliberately hid or destroyed evidence about the initial outbreak of the coronavirus.

The document charts how Beijing denied at first that the disease could be transmitted between humans; silenced or ‘disappeared’ medics who tried to warn of the outbreak; blocked access by international organisations to Wuhan, where it originated; and refused to provide live samples to international scientists trying to find a vaccine.

The Five Eyes intelligence network has been sharing information on Covid-19, but there is no specific joint operation on the issue. US intelligence agencies are carrying out an investigation at the order of Donald Trump, who has demanded that China pays compensation for its alleged negligence in allowing the pandemic to spread around the world.

The document, obtained by The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Australia, reportedly charts a timeline of subterfuge by China and how it censored news about the outbreak. It says that despite evidence in early December of human-to-human transmission, Beijing did not confirm this key fact until 20 January.