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美国驻华大使尼古拉斯-伯恩斯呼吁中国对COVID-19大流行病的起源更加诚实，此前有报道称美国能源部得出结论，该大流行病很可能产生于中国实验室的泄漏。
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伯恩斯说，有必要推动中国在世界卫生组织（WHO）中发挥更积极的作用，以加强这个联合国卫生机构。
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美国能源部在最近提供给白宫和国会主要成员的一份机密情报报告中得出结论，该大流行病很可能是由中国实验室泄漏引起的，可信度不高。
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其他四个美国机构以及一个国家情报小组仍然判断，COVID-19很可能是自然传播的结果，而有两个机构还没有决定。
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中国否认这一评估，并提到世卫组织-中国的一份报告，该报告指出该大流行病的自然来源。
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伯恩斯说，这是美中关系的一个困难时刻，在美国军方击落一个飘过美国大陆的所谓中国间谍气球后，北京试图转移责任。
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伯恩斯补充说，美国有义务在 "台湾及其周边地区 "保持军事力量，以确保这个被北京宣称为自治的岛屿有能力阻止中国的任何形式的 “进攻行动”。
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The U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, has called for China to be more honest about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, following reports that the U.S. Energy Department concluded that the pandemic likely arose from a Chinese laboratory leak.
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Burns said that it was necessary to push China to take a more active role in the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen the UN health agency.
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The U.S. Energy Department concluded that the pandemic likely arose from a Chinese laboratory leak with low confidence in a classified intelligence report recently provided to the White House and key members of Congress.
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Four other U.S. agencies, along with a national intelligence panel, still judge that COVID-19 was likely the result of natural transmission, while two are undecided.
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China denies the assessment and referred to a WHO-China report that pointed toward a natural origin for the pandemic.
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Burns said that it was a difficult moment for U.S.-China relations with Beijing seeking to deflect blame after the U.S. military downed an alleged Chinese spy balloon that drifted across the continental United States.
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Burns added that it was the obligation of the United States to maintain its military strength “in and around Taiwan” to ensure the self-governed island claimed by Beijing has the ability to deter any kind of “offensive action” by China.
链接：China must be 'more honest' on COVID origins, envoy says | Reuters