China refutes joint statement from 14 countries on WHO report

Photo taken on March 30, 2021 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday refuted a joint statement made by the United States and 13 other countries expressing "concerns" over the World Health Organization (WHO) report on the origins of COVID-19, and said this was evidence of certain countries' disrespect for science and political manipulation of the origin-tracing issue, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a relevant question. She said China had repeatedly emphasized that origin-tracing is a matter of science, which should be jointly conducted by scientists all over the world and should not be politicized.

Hua said politicizing the origin-tracing issue was immoral and unpopular and will only hinder global cooperation in the study of the origins of COVID-19, jeopardize anti-pandemic cooperation, and cost more lives, which runs counter to the wishes of the international community.

"These countries should engage in some self-reflection and ask themselves, how has their own anti-epidemic work gone? What have they done for international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic?" Hua said.