> Why is that? Why are they so concerned the theory might be true and what is the implication? That's a very naive question. Most governments don't like to ad

> Why is that? Why are they so concerned the theory might be true and what is the implication? That's a very naive question. Most governments don't like to admit they made a mistake or were wrong. The Chinese government especially, since saving face and avoiding embarrassment is crucial in Chinese culture. All their energy is spent in making sure this never happens domestically or abroad, and they will do anything in their power to suppress any information that would imply otherwise. Having a totalitarian government is convenient in that sense. On the other hand, a lab leak would also hurt US' reputation, given the NIH funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan, and could be directly involved in the incident. So, at the end of the day, it's all about optics and politics. There are many political and economic reasons for those involved to deny the allegations.