Photo: Tracing the origin of COVID-19

Chinese experts have met with their international counterparts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to exchange views on the traceability of the COVID-19 virus, with the latter thanking the Chinese scientists for their work and both sides vowing to continue to cooperate in the fight against the pandemic.

During the video conference on Friday, Chinese experts outlined the progress of work in the areas of population, environmental, molecular and animal tracing and cold-chain transmission pathways of COVID-19, the China National Health Commission announced on its official website on Saturday. 

The WHO experts thanked their Chinese counterparts for their excellent work on the traceability of COVID-19, and briefed them on global scientific research in the field.

The two sides agreed to continue their scientific exchanges and promote the progress of research into the traceability of the virus.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has worked closely with the WHO and has provided strong support and assistance to the international community in combating the epidemic.

Earlier in September, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stressed that China has always maintained that the tracing of the virus is a scientific issue and an ongoing process that may involve many countries and places. 

"The international community should unite and collaborate in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to support the key leadership role of the WHO and the coordinated efforts of all countries to save lives and combat the epidemic. At such a critical time, it is extremely irresponsible to stigmatize the virus, politicize the epidemic and shift the blame to other countries," Wang said. 

In August, senior WHO official Mike Ryan said Wuhan may not be the origin of the COVID-19 virus, announcing extensive studies to track down the animal species that transmitted the virus to humans.

In October, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention  announced that it had detected and isolated living coronavirus in a positive sample from the outer packaging of imported frozen cod, a progress that virologists said could push forward research into the virus' origin, which may be an aquatic creature.

Global Times