China fires back at Washington after it raises concerns about WHO Covid-19 report

Peter Ben Embarek, and other members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), arrive at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song / file photo

WASHINGTON  – The United States damaged multilateral cooperation and the World Health Organization in recent years, and should not be “pointing fingers” at China and other countries that supported the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Embassy said on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the embassy, responding to a statement from U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, said China welcomed Washington’s decision to reengage with the WHO, but it should hold itself to the “highest standards” instead of taking aim at other countries.

Sullivan on Saturday called on China to make available data from the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak, citing “deep concerns” about the way the findings of the WHO’s investigation into the origins of COVID-19 were communicated.