Objective, scientific, responsible attitude should be adopted for COVID-19 origins tracing: Chinese FM

ROME - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that an objective, scientific, and responsible attitude should be adopted for tracing the origins of COVID-19.

During his meeting with Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Wang said vigilance against all kinds of political hype is needed while tracing the origins of COVID-19, and all member states should be treated equally and the sovereignty of each country earnestly respected.

China is willing to discuss future cooperation with the WHO on this basis, he added.

For more than a year, Wang said, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people have fought a people's war against the pandemic and made major strategic achievements.

He said that while handling its own affairs well, China has always upheld the concept of a community of common health for mankind and at a time when the world was in dire need of help, China overcame its own difficulties and carried out the largest emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the People's Republic of China to help countries meet their pressing needs.

China has given full play to its advantages, demonstrated its responsibility, and made due contribution during the global fight against the pandemic, he added.

Wang said that China attaches great importance to the role of the WHO, which is the key agency for the global fight against the pandemic, stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the organization in promoting the fair distribution of vaccines, the research and development of new anti-virus drugs, and supporting African countries in their anti-pandemic fight, and has contributed positive energy to the global anti-pandemic cooperation.

Wang said that solidarity is the most powerful weapon in the fight against the pandemic, which is a major test for multilateralism.

He expressed the hope that the WHO will adhere to a scientific attitude and put people's lives and health first, maintain solidarity and cooperation, as well as oppose moves of politicization, labelling and stigmatization under the pretext of anti-pandemic fight.

Describing COVID-19 as a common enemy facing the world, Tedros said that the WHO appreciates China's adherence to the spirit of solidarity and its offer of help and support to countries during the anti-pandemic fight.

He added that the WHO also appreciates China's support for and participation in COVAX, as well as its active contribution to the equitable distribution of vaccines.

Tedros noted that the WHO has always adhered to principles, refused to succumb to external political pressure, unswervingly opposed scapegoating others and shirking responsibility, firmly resisted politicization of anti-pandemic efforts, and continues to carry out research on the origins of COVID-19 with a scientific attitude.