India on Monday joined nearly 120 countries at a crucial conference of the World Health Organisation in pushing for a probe into the origin of coronavirus as also comprehensive evaluation of the global response to the pandemic that has killed over 3.17 lakh people and afflicted nearly 48 lakh besides wrecking the world economy.
During the two-day 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) which is taking place in Geneva amid growing calls, including by US President Donald Trump, to investigate how the virus originated in China's Wuhan city and subsequent action by Beijing, Chinese president Xi Jinping said his country had provided all relevant outbreak data to WHO and other countries, including the virus' genetic sequence, "in a most timely fashion."
Announcing that China will provide USD 2 billion over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Xi also asserted that We have shared control and treatment experience with the world without reservation.....done everything in our power to support and assist countries in need."
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who had asserted that the event would be "one of the most important (WHAs) since we were founded in 1948", pledged that he will begin an independent evaluation of the UN health agency's response to the coronavirus pandemic "at the earliest appropriate moment."
Without referring to the global calls for an inquiry, Xi said, "China supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to COVID-19 after it is brought under control to sum up the experience and address deficiencies. This work should be based on science and professionalism, led by the WHO and conducted in an objective and impartial manner."