'Not just a visa issue': China on delay in WHO's planned mission to probe COVID-19 origin

China on January 6 said that impasse over the long-planned mission by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic is “not just a visa issue”. As the team of independent experts set by the United Health (UN) health agency was set to visit the Asian country in January to explore the beginning of the outbreak that first emerged in Wuhan, the sensitive mission has been subjected to delays and politics amid fears that Beijing is attempting to whitewash.

Amid the speculations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the reporters that the talks between Beijing and WHO were ongoing over “the specific date and specific arrangement of the expert group’s visit”. Hua clarified that the delays on the visit of experts is “not just a visa issue” but noted that “origin-tracing is incredibly complicated”. 

Further, the Chinese government official reportedly said that in order to ensure the “work of the international expert team in China goes smoothly, we have to carry out necessary procedures and make relevant arrangements.” Hua said that China is doing its best to create “good conditions” for the international team to come to the country. Hua’s remarks came after WHO reportedly said that Beijing was yet to finalise the permission for the team to arrive and expressed ‘disappointment with the news’.

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China condemns allegations on COVID-19

From US President Donald Trump calling coronavirus ‘China Virus’ to other world leaders calling for an independent investigation into the origin of coronavirus outbreak this year, China was on the receiving end of the backlash of the international community and has been accused of hiding crucial data related to the pandemic. Trump took his criticism for China as far as saying that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is supporting China and halted funding the UN health agency.

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Despite the heat, Chinese authorities, the Wuhan Insitute of Virology (WIV) and Professor Shi Zhengli have angrily rejected all allegations of virus leak from the Wuhan lab. Scientists appointed by WHO were all set to arrive in Wuhan and inquire the origin of the pandemic that has caused more than a million deaths. In an email to the BBC, Wuhan lab scientist had assured that she had communicated with the UN health agency experts twice and added that, “I have personally and clearly expressed that I would welcome them to visit the WIV.”

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