BEIJING, July 9 (INP: Origin-tracing of coronavirous is a serious and complex scientific issue that should be studied by scientists and medical experts, said spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian at a regular news briefing.:

Commenting on WHO’s announcement that experts will be sent to China to work together with Chinese experts on science-based planning to trace the origin of the coronavirus, the spokesperson said China has been cooperating with WHO to overcome the pandemic through all means.

As President Xi Jinping stressed in his statement at the Virtual Event of the Opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly, China continues supporting global research by scientists on the source and transmission routes of the virus. China co-sponsored the WHA resolution on COVID-19 and supports WHO-led cooperation of member states on the zoonotic source of the virus.

He said adding since COVID-19 broke out, WHO and China have all along maintained communication and cooperation. WHO already said in a statement that WHO experts will travel to China to work together with their Chinese counterparts to prepare scientific plans for identifying the zoonotic source of the coronavirus.

The experts will develop the scope and TOR for a WHO-led international mission. Identifying the origin of emerging viral disease has proven complex in past epidemics in different countries. A well planned series of scientific researches will advance the understanding of animal reservoirs and the route of transmission to humans.

The process is an evolving endeavor which may lead to further international scientific research and collaboration globally. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said identifying the origin of virus is very complex and we should remain open to the possibility of various origins as the process is evolving.

After consultation between the two sides, the Chinese government has agreed to WHO sending experts to Beijing to exchange ideas with Chinese scientists and medical experts on science-based cooperation to trace the origin of the virus.

We have a fundamental consensus with WHO, that is, origin-tracing is a scientific issue that should be studied by scientists through international research and cooperation across the globe. It is also the view of WHO that it is an ongoing process probably concerning many countries and localities. WHO will conduct similar trips to other countries and regions in light of the actual need.

INP/JAVED