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The exact time on when WHO experts will arrive in Wuhan and investigate into the coronavirus origin is still under negotiation, an official from Chinese top health body said, noting that China is fully prepared and waiting for WHO experts to complete formalities and settle on their schedule.

Zeng Yixin, deputy head of the National Health Commission said at a Saturday conference that China has been supportive of the WHO's investigation on the origin of the coronavirus and has held four video conferences on details of the investigation in China and its Wuhan. An agreement has been reached.

China has always been open, supportive and positive toward the WHO's team of experts' investigation, and attaches great importance to such work, said the official.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday that he is "disappointed" that Chinese officials have not finalized permission for a team of experts' arrival in China to examine the origins of COVID-19.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a Wednesday news conference that China has always held an open, transparent and responsible attitude and taken the lead in working together with WHO on origin-tracing. 

The pandemic is still severe and China is actively carrying out domestic epidemic prevention and control work. Despite this, China is still overcoming difficulties to speed up preparation work and trying its best to create favorable conditions for the WHO's international experts to visit China, which the WHO clearly knows, Hua said. 

Global Times