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The Lead with Jake Tapper: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) Is Interviewed On A New Report That Reveals COVID Leaked From Lab

Interview

By: Ro Khanna
By: Ro Khanna
Date: Feb. 27, 2023
Issues: Foreign Affairs Health and Health Care

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Jake, it's a very concerning report. We need transparency. My concern is that China isn't being transparent. I can't speculate on which agency is right other than to say we have to demand much more transparency from China.

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Jake, it was wrong. As you know, I'm a defender of the First Amendment, of free speech. And I think it was wrong to try to censor the folks who were arguing that it was an accidental leak from a lab. At the very least, we know it's a plausible theory if the Department of Energy has put this up.

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Jake, I don't know, but one of the things I think on the China select committee, is to look at all of these agency reports, to look at what we can do, to demand more transparency out of China.

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That I think is key for the president's leadership, to get these agencies together, to tell them they need to share the relevant intelligence and that there needs to be a consensus recommendation.

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Here is why that's not very credible from China. They are holding in secret all the information. They have refused to cooperate with World Health Organization. They've refused to give access to their scientists. So, if they were more transparent, they'd have a leg to stand on. But given how close they've been, they have no right to accuse the United States of propaganda.

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It does. And this is why I think we need a very nuanced, thoughtful policy towards China. On the one hand, making sure we're beefing up the defense in Taiwan to prevent a military invasion, making sure they don't have surveillance of the United States, making sure we're re-balancing the trade deficit. But at the same time, engaging and trying to make some progress on public health, on transparency because ultimately the pandemic that took 7 million lives doesn't know borders.

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Thank you, Jake.

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