中新网评：336个！美国遍布全球的生物实验室到底在密谋什么？

中新网北京3月11日电(蒋鲤)美国副国务卿维多利亚·纽兰日前承认，美国在乌克兰设有“生物研究设施”。而就在此前，面对俄罗斯方面的指控，美方曾矢口否认。为什么改变态度？美国的这些生物实验室到底在密谋什么？

中国外交部发言人赵立坚周二披露，美国在全球30个国家控制了336个生物实验室。根据美方自己公布的数据，该国在乌克兰就有26个生物实验室，乌境内所有的危险病毒都必须存储在这些实验室。

美国国内有识之士和包括俄罗斯在内的许多国家多次对这些生物实验室发问，但美国始终以“科学研究”、“和平用途”为由搪塞，从未公布过其研究成果。然而，这些生物实验室不断被曝出致命毒株丢失、实验室设备故障、感染病菌的小白鼠失踪等安全事故，引发世界担忧。

据俄罗斯卫星通讯社10日报道，俄国防部当日称美国在乌克兰的生物实验室进行了蝙蝠冠状病毒实验。此外，美国方面计划今年在乌克兰开展鸟类、蝙蝠和爬行动物病原体的研究，并逐步过渡到研究携带非洲猪瘟和炭疽的可能性。

此前，位于美国马里兰州的德特里克堡生物实验室曾被披露一系列安全事故，例如，平民雇员离奇染疫身亡、致命菌株毒株丢失、病毒和化学品外泄等安全事故臭名昭著，该实验室一度被美媒称为美国政府“最黑暗实验的中心”。

德特里克堡不过是冰山一角。美国这些不透明、不规范、不安全的生物实验室就像一把悬在头上的利剑，让世界感到不安。然而，美国却从未因为全世界的疑虑而放弃这些所谓的研究，相反，该国还在千方百计阻挠建立《禁止生物武器公约》核查机制，拒绝接受对其境内外生物设施的核查。

美国究竟在这些实验室从事哪些研究？是否会滋长新的“生化恐怖主义”？是否有着不可告人的目的？这些实验室是否会对全人类构成生命健康威胁，美国应该回应国际社会合理关切，给全世界一个解释。

U.S. ought to answer questions about 336 furtive biolabs worldwide

By John Lee

(ECNS) -- The U.S. government’s Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on Tuesday admitted in a way that the U.S. had established biolabs in Ukraine. Previously, Russia found the U.S. worked with these biolabs to develop biological weapons, but the U.S. defended itself and denied they are under its control. Why did the U.S. change its attitude after denying it? Is there any ulterior motive behind these biolabs?

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense controls 336 biological laboratories in 30 countries, and data released by the U.S. itself shows that the country has 26 bio-labs and other related facilities in Ukraine, all dangerous pathogens in Ukraine must be stored in these labs.

Some Americans and countries including Russia have questioned the use of these biolabs, but the U.S. government seemed to prevaricate with the excuse of "scientific research" and "peaceful use", rejecting to publish its research.

But a series of safety accidents, for example, missing deadly pathogens and infected mice, and the malfunction of lab equipment, have triggered global concern over these labs.

The Sputnik News of Russia cited the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on Thursday that the U.S.-funded biological labs located in Ukraine were conducting experiments with bat coronavirus samples.

Documents from the Russian Defense Ministry said that the U.S. planned to conduct work on pathogens of birds, bats, and reptiles in Ukraine in 2022, with a further transition to studying the possibility of carrying African swine fever and anthrax, according to the Russian media.

Experiments which may bring disasters to people’s safety like these have already been conducted in U.S.-controlled biolabs in history.

For instance, Fort Detrick, a lab located in Maryland in the U.S., was notorious for safety accidents like the bizarre death of civilian employees, the loss of deadly strains, the leakage of viruses and chemicals, etc., and was once called "the center of the darkest experiment" of the U.S. government by local media.

And Fort Detrick is believed to be the tip of the iceberg. These non-transparent, non-standard and unsafe labs are like a sword hanging over the head, which makes the world anxious. However, the U.S. has never stopped its so-called research in these labs. The country even tried to impede the establishment of a verification protocol of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) worldwide and rejected the verification of its domestic biological facilities.

What kind of studies are the U.S. conducting in these biolabs? Do these studies nurture "bioterrorism"? Is there any ulterior motive behind these biolabs? Will they threaten the health and safety of people? The U.S. owes the world an explanation.