Beijing (INP) :Over 300 political parties, organizations and think tanks from over 100 countries and regions on Monday submitted a joint statement to the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat, opposing the politicization of the COVID-19 origins study.

They stressed that COVID-19 is posing serious threats to the safety and health of mankind and called on the international community to strengthen cooperation in fighting the virus, according to the statement.

They also urged the WHO to conduct research on global tracing for COVID-19 origins in an objective and fair manner.

Mankind shares weal and woe and is a community with a shared future, the statement said, adding that no country can stay immune from major crises. "Virus knows no borders or races," it said, calling for joint efforts from the international community to defeat COVID-19.

The statement said virus origin tracing is a matter of science. It called on scientists and medical experts across the world to work together in studying the issue and draw scientific conclusions based on facts and evidence.

Virus origin tracing is a joint obligation of countries worldwide, the statement said. The plan for the second phase of studies into the origins of COVID-19 was put forward unilaterally by the WHO Secretariat, it said. The plan is not in line with the resolution of the World Health Assembly, nor was it made after full consultations among member states, it added.

The statement stressed that the plan has not taken into account the latest outcomes of the research on global origin tracing and is unconducive to the advancement of global cooperation on origin tracing.

It called on the WHO Secretariat to conduct cooperation with member states, take into account the new scientific evidence that has been emerging, and accept the advice made in the report of a joint research between China and the WHO on the global tracing of COVID-19 origins.

The statement urged the WHO Secretariat to support medical experts and researchers to conduct studies on COVID-19 origins in various countries and regions so as to contribute experience to prevent the next pandemic.

It underscored firm opposition to any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus as well as any interference in the research process and international cooperation against COVID-19 by political elements and political manipulations.

The statement expressed appreciation that some countries including China are actively providing vaccines to the world and particularly developing countries, hailing their important contributions to the global fight against COVID-19.

It urges countries capable of producing sufficient vaccines to avoid export restrictions or excessive hoarding. It voiced firm opposition to vaccine nationalism and called for efforts to fill the vaccination gap globally.

The statement called on political parties and organizations across the world to facilitate international cooperation in fighting the pandemic and jointly promote the building of a global community of health for all.

By: CGTN