Chinese health official 'shocked' by WHO's proposal for phase 2 COVID-19 origins study, calling it 'arrogant and lacking respect for common sense'

Photo taken on March 30, 2021 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

China's health commission deputy chief said he was shocked to read the World Health Organization （WHO's） proposal for the second phase study into the origins of COVID-19 in China, which he describes as arrogant and lacking respect for common sense.

Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, said at Thursday's media briefing that China has submitted phase-2 COVID-19 origins-tracing recommendations to the WHO believing the study should be based on the WHO-China joint study, and it should be carried out in many more places around the world after full consultations with member states, Zeng said.

The WHO on Friday proposed a second phase study into the origins of the coronavirus in China, which includes all the laboratories and markets in Wuhan.

Zeng said that he was "shocked" to read the proposal and he could sense the "lack of respect for common sense and the arrogance in the proposal."

He said the second phase study should not be carried out in places that have already been inspected in the first phase study, especially places where a clear conclusion has been reached.

Chinese observes said the WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has succumbed to US-led West's political pressure. He was calling on China to be transparent and open in further COVID-19 origins studies, but this cannot replace the scientific consensus of the natural origin hypothesis.

Zeng said that China hopes the WHO could consider recommendations proposed by Chinese scientists, truly regard the tracing task as a scientific issue, get rid of political interference and promote the origins study in more countries and places around the world.