Beijing supports an independent investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) into the origin of COVID-19 while arguing against it being used for political purposes, Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th June, 2020) Beijing supports an independent investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) into the origin of COVID-19 while arguing against it being used for political purposes, Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said on Wednesday.
In May, over 100 countries at the World Health Assembly, the WHO decision-making body, backed a proposal for an inquiry into the origin of the disease, which has led to some 7 million infections and worldwide lockdowns.
"We, of course, support such an investigation, but we are against conducting such an investigation in the presumption of guilt mode," the ambassador said at a press conference held at the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.
He has noted that China is ready to cooperate with WHO as well as other countries.
"It is our duty, our obligation. However, we think that determining the source of COVID-19 is a scientific issue, not a political one," Zhang said.
COVID-19 was originally reported in the Chinese province of Hubei, making China the first country to face the outbreak, which is still ongoing.
China has been repeatedly accused by the United States of withholding information about the epidemic during its early stages, blaming it for the spread of the disease. Beijing, on its part, has been vociferously denying such allegations, claiming it has been fully forthcoming since day one.
