China firmly supports UN's leading role in fighting pandemic

China's envoy to the United Nations reaffirmed China's consistent and strong support for the UN and the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing a leading role and actively in international anti-epidemic cooperation.

"China firmly supports the WHO in playing a leading role in the global anti-epidemic cooperation," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN wrote in a letter on Thursday to Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other permanent representatives to the UN.

Zhang stated that as a UN specialized agency responsible for public health matters, the WHO plays a crucial role in epidemic response.

Under the leadership of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO upholds "a science-based, objective and unbiased stance and provides active guidance and assistance to countries around the world, making important contributions to international cooperation against epidemics'', Zhang wrote.

Zhang said China keeps close communication and cooperation with the WHO and updates the WHO in an "open, transparent and responsible" manner.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, China immediately reported to the WHO, shared with it and the international community without reservation the genetic sequence of the coronavirus and China's prevention and treatment experience.

China also donated $20 million to the WHO in support of global anti-epidemic cooperation, according to Zhang.

At the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 on March 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for support of the WHO.

A joint statement was issued by the Group of 77 and China, commending the WHO's response to the epidemic.

China echoed the communique adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement, which supports the WHO and Director-General Tedros in performing their duties and opposes the politicization of COVID-19.

"China firmly opposes any attempt to weaken the WHO, whose role is indispensable at this crucial stage," Zhang wrote, stressing that blame-shifting will not help focus on responding to the pandemic, but only divides the international community and jeopardizes international anti-epidemic cooperation.

"We firmly oppose such wrong acts as labeling, politicizing and stigmatizing, a position shared by the international community," he wrote.

Recently, Xi had intensive telephone conversations with Secretary-General Guterres and leaders of other countries. They exchanged views and reached an important consensus on strengthening international cooperation in combating the pandemic.

Xi emphasized that the world is a community with a shared future, and Zhang wrote that it's imperative for the international community to act with unity and work in a collective response to win the battle against a highly dangerous virus.