COVID-19 origins-tracing cooperation must be conducted in a scientific way and politically motivated origins-tracing must be firmly rejected, said Zhang Lizhong, the Chinese ambassador to Uganda, in an opinion piece published in the Daily Monitor on Aug 21.

In this article, Zhang praised China's active engagement in origins-tracing cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO). He mentioned WHO experts were invited twice to China for origin-tracing research, which contributed to the most authoritative, professional and science-based WHO-China joint study report released in March this year.

For future work in origins-tracing cooperation, the WHO-China joint study report sets out some detailed recommendations including emphasizing science-based research into the virus origins, the respect and implementation of the findings of this report by all parties, including WHO, China's great efforts in science-based origins-tracing, and the importance of consultation with member states on any global origins-tracing work plan. Very importantly, the plan for origins-tracing involving a particular country must be decided through consultation with the country concerned, as it provides the basis for effective cooperation to be conducted, the article pointed out.

It also said that more than 70 countries have expressed support for the WHO-China joint study report and political parties, groups, experts, scholars and media from many countries have also expressed their opposition to politicization and support for a scientific approach in different ways.

"These voices of justice should and must be heeded and taken seriously," Zhang said, noting "origins-tracing cooperation must be based on science, and politicization must be firmly rejected."

Zhang believed that "China will work with other parties to carry out science-based global origin-tracing, and continue to contribute to humanity’s final victory over the COVID-19 pandemic."