Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

Two experts from the WHO have arrived in China to carry out coronavirus tracing work, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday, adding that China and the WHO have reached a consensus that virus tracing is a matter of science, and the organization will conduct similar investigations in other parts of the world. 

The news was announced by Hua Chunying, spokesperson of the ministry, at a Monday briefing. She that the two experts arrived in China with the Chinese government's permission and held discussions with Chinese experts on virus tracing work.

Hua said, "We have reached consensus with the WHO that the virus tracing is a matter of science, thus it requires scientists worldwide to cooperate and conduct research worldwide." She said the WHO also believed that virus tracing may involve many countries and regions, and the WHO will conduct similar investigations in other parts of the world. 

"We can fight the virus better when we know everything about the virus, including how it started," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference at the end of June, while announcing that the WHO would send a team of experts to China to help identify the source of coronavirus. 

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has maintained communication and cooperation with the WHO on the traceability of the virus, and Chinese scientists are also holding exchanges with their international counterparts, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said after the WHO made the decision. 

Global Times