By Staff, Agencies China said on Friday it supports the creation of an international commission to assess "the global response" to the COVID-19 crisis under the auspices of the World Health Organization [WHO] once "the epidemic has ended." The statement came after pressure from western powers, including the US and Australia, which called for an investigation into China's response to the outbreak of the disease and its rapid spread late last year.  Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing would fully cooperate in an "open, transparent and inclusive" review of the subject under the leadership of the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

But she noted that it should be at an "appropriate time after the pandemic is over".

China also stressed that any inquiry should be based on the International Health Regulations, and be authorized by the World Health Assembly or Executive Committee – the world organization’s dual governing bodies.

Numerous countries including France, Germany, and Britain have urged greater transparency from China over its handling of the virus, while the US and Australia have also led calls for an international inquiry into the origins of the pandemic.

China has previously rejected similar calls for an investigation, accusing the US of "politicizing the issue".

China has strenuously denied accusations it concealed information relating to the initial outbreak, insisting it has always shared information with the WHO and other countries in a timely manner