UN urges China to 'cooperate fully' with WHO's second COVID-19 origin probe request

Amid Beijing’s rejection to further probe into COVID-19 origins, the United Nations on July 23 called on all member states, including China, to fully cooperate with the WHO. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization had proposed the second phase of studies into the origins of the Coronavirus in China, including audits of laboratories and markets in the city of Wuhan, calling for transparency from authorities. However, China had rejected the WHO proposal with Zeng Yixin, who is a vice minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), telling reporters that the WHO's plan "disregards common sense and defies science”.

Following China’s rejection, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said, “We implore all member states, including China, to cooperate fully with the World Health Organization, and if the World Health Organization believes it requires further information, we hope that they will all cooperate”. 

While the scientific community has repeatedly called for a thorough and transparent probe, China has continued to peddle its narrative that the virus was a naturally occurring phenomenon. China has resorted to blame-games and accusations as global pressure mounts on it demanding cooperation in the second conclusive COVID-19 origin probe. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also urged Beijing to be transparent and open to cooperate.

"We owe it to the millions who suffered and the millions who died to know what happened," he said.

US expresses disappointment 

Moreover, the United States has also expressed disappointment with China. Reacting to China's position White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was clear the country "isn't living up to their obligations" on investigating the pandemic and said Biden will shift focus to a global campaign to launch a "multilateral effort and support for putting pressure" on China to increase transparency. She further said that the multilateral approach would be a "big focus" of Biden's strategy in engaging with China more broadly. 

Warning that it is not just the US calling for this, Jen Psaki said, "As a part of our renewed engagement and our efforts to build a coalition of support around the world with allied and partners, we are joined by the international community on this”. 

(With inputs from ANI)