BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to continue to strengthen cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) to advance the global origin-tracing of COVID-19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily press briefing Friday.

Wang made the remarks when responding to an inquiry about a WHO official reportedly saying that a WHO-led international investigation team would visit China in early January.

Wang said that origin-tracing of the virus is an evolving process which may involve many countries and places.

"We have recently read many reports on the virus breaking out in multiple places worldwide last year. It proves again that tracing the origin of the novel coronavirus is a scientific task that must be taken very seriously. It calls for scientists to carry out investigation and research worldwide," Wang said.

Wang said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken the lead in working together with the WHO on origin-tracing in an open, transparent and responsible attitude, and the two sides are steadily advancing cooperation and in close communication on the cooperation and work plan related to origin-tracing going forward.

"We hope that relevant countries will do the same as China does and actively cooperate with the WHO so that we can better prevent similar public health crises from occurring, and be better prepared to deal with a similar crisis when it does occur," he said.