BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Those who throw mud at the World Health Organization (WHO) will only leave a stain on themselves, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.

Wang made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual national legislative session.

As for the WHO's international standing and its place in history, clear-eyed people the world over will reach a fair conclusion, one that will not be altered just because some country does not like it, he said.

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, the WHO has played its central role in coordinating global public health efforts, Wang noted.

Facts have shown that those countries that heeded and followed the WHO's advice are more successful in bringing the virus under control, while those that ignored or rejected its advice are paying a heavy price, he said.

As an international body made up of 194 sovereign states, the WHO does not serve any particular country, and should not defer to any country that provides more funding than others, he said.

In the face of COVID-19, those attempts to attack or blackmail the WHO are lacking in basic humanity and will be rejected by the international community, Wang said, adding that to support the WHO is to support saving lives.