WHO's second phase of the new crown virus traceability work plan is severely politicized
Our newspaper, Beijing, July 23 (Reporter Han Xiaoming) In response to the second phase of the new crown virus traceability work plan proposed by the Secretariat of the World Health Organization, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhao Lijian said on the 23rd that the work plan is the same as the work plan of the 73rd World Health Organization. The resolutions of the General Assembly did not meet the requirements and the conclusions and recommendations of the China-WHO Joint Research Report on the Traceability of the New Coronavirus. It was severely politicized and interfered with. It was a document that lost the principles of scientific objectiveness and lacked the spirit of cooperation.
At the regular press conference that day, a reporter asked: On July 16, the WHO Secretariat notified the Member States of the second phase of the traceability work plan, and asked all countries to submit their feedback before July 23.
Has China submitted its own opinions to the WHO?
Will China participate in the second stage traceability?
Zhao Lijian said that at the briefing meeting of the WHO Member States on July 16, China and many countries have clearly expressed their basic position on the second-stage traceability work plan proposed by the WHO Secretariat. The Permanent Mission of China in Geneva The views and propositions have been further clarified to the WHO in writing.
China will also continue to make suggestions.
Zhao Lijian said that this work plan does not meet the requirements of the 73rd World Health Assembly resolution.
The WHO resolution clearly requires that the Director-General of the World Health Organization continue to work closely with member states to find the animal source of the virus and the route of transmission to humans.
This means that in formulating the traceability work plan for the next stage, member states must take the lead, and WHO should fully consult and reach consensus with member states.
The work plan drafting process should also be open and transparent.
Zhao Lijian said that this work plan does not match the conclusions and recommendations of the China-WHO Joint Research Report on the Traceability of the New Coronavirus.
This joint research report was completed by a joint team composed of WHO international experts and Chinese experts, and is the Chinese part of global traceability research.
The authoritative conclusions and scientific recommendations drawn in the report should be an important foundation for the global traceability work in the next stage.
Zhao Lijian said that China and many WHO member states have regretted to note that this work plan has been severely politicized and it is a document that has lost the principles of scientific objectiveness and lacked the spirit of cooperation.
He cited, for example, that the China-WHO Joint Research Report on the Traceability of the New Coronavirus clearly came to the conclusion that “laboratory leaks are extremely unlikely,” and the international scientific community also has broad consensus on this.
This work plan still insists on "China's violation of laboratory procedures causing virus leakage" as the research focus, but deliberately ignores important research directions such as early global cases and cold chain transmission of viruses.
This has to be reminiscent that this work plan is echoing the "laboratory leak theory" raised by the United States and other countries.
Coupled with the lack of transparency in the drafting process, it has to be doubted that this work plan is the product of political manipulation.
Zhao Lijian emphasized that China has always attached great importance to the issue of virus traceability and will continue to promote its own traceability research.
At the same time, as the first country to carry out traceability research cooperation with the WHO, China will continue to actively participate in the next stage of global traceability cooperation.
"We hope that the WHO will uphold the spirit of science, professionalism, and objectivity, and work with the international community to jointly maintain the scientificity and seriousness of traceability research, jointly resist the upstream politicization of traceability issues, and jointly maintain a good atmosphere for global anti-epidemic cooperation."