SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – A classified U.S intelligence report claiming it is plausible that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory was released on Sunday by Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry.

According to the U.S. intelligence briefing published Saturday, a laboratory leak and natural origin were plausible explanations for how SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) first infected people. However, it is possible that truth might never come out.

Wang replied Sunday to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs by saying that “a lie repeated 1000 times is still an lie”. He also stated that U.S. intelligence service “have a reputation of fraud & deception.”

He stated that “tracing the origins and evolution of the novel coronavirus” is an important and complicated issue, and that global scientists must work together to solve it.

China denied that COVID-19 was transmitted from Wuhan to China, in which it was discovered for the first time at the end 2019; however, China repeatedly refuted the claims.

Wang reiterated China’s call for the United States and Fort Detrick laboratories to be opened to international specialists.

This year, a study published jointly by China and World Health Organization almost ruled out that COVID-19 was created in a laboratory. The most probable hypothesis is that COVID-19 infected humans through natural means, possibly via wildlife trade.

Critics claimed the Wuhan laboratories were not examined in this study. They also claim that they did not collect the necessary data to identify the virus’ early transmission pathways.

Last month the WHO created a Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Origins. It called on China last month to provide raw data for any future investigation. China refused to provide the raw data, citing rules regarding patient privacy.

Last week, scientists who were critical of WHO wrote an open letter to Tedros, WHO’s Director General, saying that they supported a fresh investigation into COVID-19 origins but felt the SAGO panel composition was not impartial and lacking in the required skills.