China is cracking down on the publication of academic research on the origins of the coronavirus, in what is likely to be part of a larger attempt to control the narrative surrounding the pandemic, documents published online by Chinese universities seem to show.

Two major Chinese universities’ websites appear to have recently published and then deleted pages referring to a new policy requiring that academic articles dealing with the coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, be subject to further verification before be submitted for publication.

Research into the origins of the virus is particularly sensitive and subject to verification by government officials, according to notices posted on the websites of Fudan University and the Chinese University of Geosciences (Wuhan). The two deleted pages were accessed from online caches.

Professor Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London, said that the Chinese government has focused on how the evolution and management of the virus has been viewed since the early days of the epidemic.

“In terms of priority, controlling the story is more important than public health or economic benefits,” he said. “This does not mean that the economy and public health are not important. But the story is essential. ”

The virus has infected more than a million people worldwide and claimed many victims, particularly in Europe and the United States, details on its origin and the first weeks of the pandemic – when there was a concealment by local officials – can be considered particularly sensitive. .

“If these documents are authentic, it would suggest that the government really wants to control very closely the narrative about the origins of Covid-19,” Tsang said of the reports on the new regulations.

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The University of Geosciences of China (Wuhan) appears to have published and then deleted new requirements that academic papers on the origins of the virus should be approved by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology before they are published.

The university’s academic committee was first to conduct the research “with a focus on verifying the accuracy of the thesis, as well as its relevance for publication,” said the regulations.

“After the checks are completed, the school should report to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and should not be published until after [also] been checked by MOST, “he said.

Despite its name, the University of Geosciences has announced elsewhere on its website that it is researching coronaviruses.

A separate document obtained by the Guardian, which could not be independently verified, appears to be from Renmin Hospital in Wuhan University also said that publishing research on the origins of Covid-19 would require approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Another opinion, which appears to have been published on April 9 by the School of Information Science and Technology at Shanghai Fudan University, called for “strict and serious” management of documents investigating the source of the information. epidemic.

Articles could only be submitted for publication after being approved by a special office. The email, names and telephone numbers provided on the notice suggest that the office was part of the Chinese Ministry of Education.

Cached versions

A source who alerted the Guardian to cached versions of websites and spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was concerned about what appeared to be an attempt by Chinese authorities to interfere in the independence of the process. scientist.

The person said that researchers submitting academic articles on other medical subjects do not have to review their work with government departments before requesting publication.

A technical analysis of the cached websites indicated that the messages were posted on verified university websites before being deleted. The Guardian could not independently verify that they reflected new government policy.

The reviews appear to be part of a larger effort to manage research on the virus. On April 3, the Ministry of Science and Technology said that ongoing clinical research on the coronavirus should be reported to the authorities within three days or be stopped.

In March, Chinese President Xi Jinping published an essay “tracing the origin of the virus” on a list of national priorities. It was referenced by the Ministry of Science and Technology shortly before universities published their orders.

The Chinese government did not respond to a Guardian request for comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

Although the exact origin of the pandemic is still not certain, a commonly accepted assumption is that it started as a result of human-animal interaction at the Huanan Seafood “wet market” in Wuhan.

Scientists said the virus likely originated from bats and then passed through an intermediate animal before infecting the first human.

Related: How did the coronavirus start and where did it come from? Was it really the Wuhan Animal Market?

Transmission

Scientists believe transmission was similar to that of the Sars epidemic in 2002. Some criticism of China has focused on why the government did not close wet markets after the previous outbreaks of coronavirus.

Kevin Carrico, senior researcher in Chinese studies at Monash University, said he was not aware of any recent specific changes to university research rules in China related to Covid-19, but the documents were generally consistent with China’s efforts to control the story of the pandemic.

“They are looking to turn it from a massive disaster into a situation where the government has done everything right and has given the rest of the world time to prepare,” said Carrico.

Carrico said these efforts were evident in communications ranging from top-level government statements to public sentiment on social media.

“Is there a desire to some extent to deny the realities that face us?” that this is a massive pandemic that started in a place that the Chinese government really should have cleaned up after Sars, “he said.

About a month ago, senior Chinese diplomats, officials and state media all publicly encouraged speculation that the new coronavirus could have originated from outside the country. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested without evidence that the US military could have brought the virus to Wuhan. -Guardian