China hopes the World Health Organization (WHO) will look at China's COVID-19 response scientifically and rationally, and its related statements will reflect objectivity and impartiality, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.

He made the remarks in response to the WHO's concerns about the reliability and transparency of the COVID-19 data China publishes.

Wang said China has been in close communication with the WHO, noting that five technical exchanges were carried out in the past month alone. Another technical exchange with the WHO's headquarters, regional office and China office was undertaken on Wednesday, he added.

Building on previous communication, the two sides held in-depth exchange on such issues as medical treatment, the COVID-19 situation, identifying virus strains and vaccination, Wang said.

The spokesperson said that over the past days, the Chinese authorities held a series of bilateral meetings with the European Union and Australia to discuss COVID-related issues and strengthen response cooperation. 

Relevant Chinese departments and institutions continue to share the genomic sequencing data on infections in China via the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data, he said.

The WHO has said on multiple occasions that the information and data that China shared helped scientists from other countries to learn about the evolution of the virus and gave the global science community confidence in China's COVID-19 response, he noted.

"The WHO's regional director for Europe noted recently that China had been sharing virus sequencing information with the international community. From the information available to the WHO, the situation in China is not anticipated to significantly impact the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in the WHO European Region at this time," he added.

Read more: China COVID-19 cases not expected to 'significantly impact' Europe: World Health Organization

Wang reiterated that China has been sharing relevant information and data in a timely, open and transparent manner in accordance with the law. China will continue to have technical exchange and deepen cooperation with the WHO and the rest of the international community to tackle the COVID-19 challenge and protect everyone's health more effectively.

(Cover: Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing, China. /CFP)