Joint letter by 44 countries says study of its source should be science-based

The overwhelming support for justice expressed by developing countries is in stark contrast to the United States and a few other countries coerced by it that seek political manipulation, reject science and distort facts over COVID-19 origin-tracing, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

On Thursday, 44 countries submitted a joint letter to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the study of the origins of SARS-CoV-2 that caused COVID-19, and four other countries sent separate letters.

In the letters, they stressed that the study of its origins is a matter of science and they opposed the politicization of this issue.

They also called on the WHO Secretariat to cooperate with member states to advance the study of the origins of SARS-CoV-2 around the world in accordance with the relevant resolution of the World Health Assembly.

In remarks on the letters released on the Foreign Ministry's website on Thursday, a spokesperson said the move fully reflected the shared aspiration of the international community and where justice lies. It also fully demonstrated that those who are impartial and objective, and champion fairness and justice, are in the majority, the spokesperson said.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, China has taken a scientific, professional, serious and responsible attitude in origin-tracing work and has invited WHO experts to China twice to carry out origin-tracing studies.

Earlier this year, international experts from 10 countries including the US, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia, formed a joint expert group with their Chinese counterparts and conducted a 28-day joint study in China. During the trip, they jointly analyzed data, conducted field trips, paid visits and had exchanges of views to maintain a science-based consensus.

In March, the WHO officially released the report entitled "WHO-convened global study of origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part".

However, as the spokesperson pointed out, for quite some time, a handful of countries, led by the US, have been stigmatizing the pandemic, putting a geographical label on the virus and politicizing the study of its origins.

They blatantly disregarded the achievements scientists made jointly, turned a blind eye to science and truth for their own selfish interests, publicly clamored for investigations conducted by intelligence agencies and falsely accused China of not being transparent and cooperative, the spokesperson said.

These actions have seriously disrupted and undermined international cooperation in the global origins study, created great difficulties and obstacles for countries to fight the pandemic and save lives, and aroused wide dissatisfaction and opposition in the international community, the spokesperson said.

"We urge relevant parties to stop politicizing the issue of origin tracing, stop using this issue to scapegoat others and shirk responsibility, and stop deliberately undermining international cooperation on the global origins study."

The spokesperson said that the countries should adopt a truly responsible and scientific attitude, and work with the international community to make due contributions to defeating the virus and protecting people's health and well-being.