Logo of World Health Organization

The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) will be held virtually on May 18 and 19. 

Its agenda ought to be focused on the novel coronavirus and saving people's lives, but the West is politicizing it. 

Bloomberg reported that Brussels will put forward a proposal during the WHA meetings that call for an independent probe into the origins of the coronavirus—this is to appease the slanderous intentions of the Washington. 

Furthermore, the US and some of its allies repeatedly express support for separatist Taiwan authorities to participate in the WHA as an observer.

The aim of this international coronavirus probe advocated by the US and its allies (namely the EU and Australia) is to pass the buck of Washington's mishandling of the COVID-19 to China. Take the US for instance. Many Americans and media are aware that President Donald Trump's administration made countless mistakes at the onset of the pandemic. 

Shirking responsibility, Washington has tried to make up "evidence" to prove the virus originated in a Wuhan lab. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is sticking to professional standard and not blindly following certain Western countries who have become delusional. The WHO knows that China has provided essential and transparent data and information to them. 

The WHO is focusing on the urgent task at hand to assist countries across the world to effectively combat the pandemic. US attempts to derail this process is globally unacceptable.

The US and a few of its allies annually call for support for the island of Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer. But why are these voices and claims in 2020 louder compared with previous years? 

Because Washington is engaged in its 2020 political season — and hopes to cash big on the China hate hype for domestic diversions in order to avoid culpability for its failures with saving Americans from coronavirus. 

Moreover, Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen is set to deliver her so-called second inaugural address on May 20. Washington hopes to attack China by stirring up Taiwan question with this speech.

Since Trump took office in 2016, both the White House and US Congress have instigated Taiwan to agitate China at every turn. Their support for Taiwan's attendance at the WHA is another manifestation of these maneuvers.  

According to consensus of the Executive Board of WHO, this year's conference agenda will primarily focus on the COVID19 pandemic and election of executive committee members. 

This reflects the sincere desire of the member states to be serious with their discussions of international cooperation in the fight against the COVID19. China and WHO have been well cooperated in issuing warning to global countries since early days of the epidemic, but Trump's administration had ignored the warnings. 

The incentive of "politicizing the WHO," additionally, comes out of a US' competitive strategy against China. Why? Because there is a rising sentiment in the US which regards coronavirus control as a race between two great powers. This has been hyped up in particular by conservative controlled media in the US and their pundit hacks. 

Their inflammatory remarks for ratings revenue alone have fueled domestic US paranoia about China taking away their global leadership position. They have also unfairly vilified the WHO as China's accomplice in this power shift. 

This US smear campaign of hate and prejudice has the potential to cripple the WHO's ability to deal with the present pandemic and future health crises. It undermines international confidence with ignorance and misinformation. 

The author is an assistant research professor at the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn