China congratulates Myanmar on concluding the general election smoothly and orderly, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.
Guo made the remarks in response to a media query about Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election which was held in three phases and concluded on Sunday.
"Myanmar concluded the voting for the new round of general election on January 25. China, Russia, India, relevant ASEAN countries and international organizations dispatched people to observe the elections. The process of election was smooth and orderly, with voters actively participating in the vote, on which China extends its congratulations. For a long time, China has firmly adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and never interferes in Myanmar's internal affairs. As a friendly neighbor, we support all parties in Myanmar in realizing broader, more solid and lasting peace and reconciliation through general elections, to de-escalate the situation at an early date and to jointly uphold political stability. China stands ready to work with the international community to respect the choice of the people in Myanmar and continue providing constructive assistance for the restoration of peace, stability, and development in Myanmar," Guo said.
China congratulates Myanmar on completing election: spokesman
China on Monday firmly rejected the groundless accusations of the United States regarding COVID-19, and reaffirmed its steadfast support for the World Health Organization (WHO) and multilateralism, following a U.S. statement of withdrawal from the WHO.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a joint statement on the termination of the United States' WHO membership on Jan 23. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also made unsubstantiated claims about China's early handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to a relevant query at a daily press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that China has been open, transparent and responsible in its anti-pandemic efforts.
"After the outbreak of COVID-19, China has put people and their lives front and center, worked with other countries to fight the pandemic together, and made important contributions to international cooperation against COVID-19. China's record of COVID-19 response has a clear timeline and solid data. It's widely recognized by the international community and brooks no distortion or smearing. China firmly opposes politicizing the virus. To use COVID-19 as a pretext for political manipulation and shift blame to China will find no support and will not succeed," said Guo.
Guo also noted that the WHO is a professional international institution and the authority in the field of global public health, and that it has expressed regret over the U.S. withdrawal notification.
"Multilateralism is the cornerstone of the current international order and is the prevailing trend and what the people want. China has all along supported WHO in fulfilling its duty, deepened international cooperation on public health, strengthened global governance on public health, and promoted the building of a global community of health for all," he said.
China rejects U.S. accusations on COVID-19, stresses commitment to WHO, multilateralism
