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China hits out at ‘irresponsible’ WHO chief over zero-Covid criticism
The foreign ministry accused Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of not having a ‘proper understanding of the facts’.
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- The foreign ministry accused Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of not having a ‘proper understanding of the facts’
- Internet users noted screen grabs of a post on the UN’s Weibo account and even pictures of Tedros had also been banned
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) said of China’s zero-tolerance policy on Covid-19: “I think a shift would be very important”. Photo: Reuters
The Chinese foriegn ministry on Tuesday denounced the head of the World Health Organization for making “irresponsible” remarks after he said the country’s zero-Covid policies were unsustainable.
“We hope the relevant individual will make objective and reasonable views of China’s epidemic protocol and policy and try to get a better understanding of the facts and refrain from making irresponsible remarks,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing in Beijing.
China is facing rising pressure over the prolonged lockdown in Shanghai and the huge social costs of its zero tolerance policy, including residents in the country’s wealthiest city running out of food.
World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a media briefing on Tuesday: “We don’t think that it is sustainable considering the behaviour of the virus and what we now anticipate in the future.
Another wrote: “Even the United Nations news centre [account] and Ghebreyesus were censored, it is getting worse”.
Most state media remained quiet about the comments, but Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Global Times, a tabloid affiliated with the party mouthpieces People’s Daily, wrote on his Weibo account that Tedros was jeopardising China’s fight against the virus.
“The WHO should consider what impact it has on China when they comment on China now. They should not jeopardise China’s effort to fight the pandemic from outside.” he wrote.
He also said that the WHO “would not take responsibility” for deaths caused by easing the restrictions.