
China Pushes Back on WHO’s COVID-19 Data Demands, Stresses Transparency
On Tuesday, China rejected the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent call for more COVID-19 data, reaffirming its commitment to “scientific transparency.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters that China has always followed the principles of scientific openness in tracing the virus’s origins and has actively supported global efforts in this area.
The WHO had urged China on Monday to share more data to help understand COVID-19’s origins, stressing that transparency is essential for preventing future pandemics. The organization argued that without full cooperation, the global community cannot adequately prepare for new health threats.
China’s response came as Australia recorded a new wave of COVID-19 cases in Queensland. The first known cases of the virus emerged in Wuhan in late 2019, but China remains firm in rejecting any political motives behind calls for further data sharing.
Mao emphasized that China had promptly shared critical information, including the virus’s genetic sequence, with the WHO and other countries, but reiterated the country’s opposition to political manipulation in the pandemic’s aftermath.
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