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China says it remains in close contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) on finalizing arrangements for a visit to Wuhan by an international group of experts who will investigate the origin of Covid-19.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that two scientists from the United Nations (UN) team had already left their home countries for Wuhan when they learned that Chinese authorities had failed. not approved the necessary permits to enter the country.
“I am very disappointed with this news,” Tedros said at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday, in a rare direct rebuke.
The WHO said on Tuesday that arrangements had been jointly agreed with China ahead of the trip.
WHO officials have long been negotiating with Beijing to allow a team of global scientists access to key sites to investigate the origin of the virus – first detected in Wuhan in December 2019.
The scientists’ visit was agreed between China and the WHO in October, and the experts and their Chinese counterparts were in touch via zoom.
“There may be a misunderstanding,” Hua Chunying, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Hua added, “From what I understand, the two sides are still in close communication on the details of specific dates and arrangements for the international panel of experts to come to China.”
“We hope that through communication between the two sides, we can finalize the arrangements as soon as possible and continue to promote cooperation.”
Hua also said that China “maintains good and close communication with the WHO.”
The spokesman added that Beijing is still working to create “good conditions” for the team of international experts to come to China to “cooperate to trace the origin of the virus.”
“In order to ensure that the group of international experts coming to China can function smoothly, it is necessary to complete the necessary procedures and make relevant specific arrangements. The two sides are still negotiating on this matter,” Hua said.
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