Biden and Johnson released a statement Thursday expressing support for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, including a focus on China’s role and the effect that future outbreaks could have on global health security.
The two countries will “support a timely, transparent and evidence-based independent process for the next phase of the WHO-convened COVID-19 origins study, including in China, and for investigating outbreaks of unknown origin in the future,” the statement said.
Last month, amid growing questions about the virus’s origins and an inconclusive report about whether the virus came from contact with an animal or a lab incident, Biden ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to redouble their efforts to investigate with specific questions for China. He gave the intelligence community 90 days to report back.
The statement on the origins of the latest coronavirus stresses a commitment between the two countries to partner with other nations in implementing resolutions adopted at the World Health Assembly in May.
“We will take account of the recommendations of the International Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response as we work together to learn the lessons from the pandemic and strengthen future preparedness,” the statement said.
Other global health issues that the two plan to prioritize include HIV/AIDS; maternal, neonatal and child health; and strengthening the world’s health systems to make withstanding future shocks more possible.