WHO approves call for inquiry into global coronavirus response

By Rob Picheta and Max Ramsay, CNN

Updated 1650 GMT (0050 HKT) May 19, 2020

 Xi: China has acted transparently on Covid-19 pandemic

Xi: China has acted transparently on Covid-19 pandemic 02:47

London (CNN)The World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed to hold an inquiry into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, adopting a resolution a summit that has been overshadowed by President Donald Trump's threat to permanently cut US funding to the agency.

WHO member states adopted the proposal with no objections during the World Health Assembly meeting on Tuesday, after the European Union and Australia led calls for an investigation.

The part of the resolution that had been considered contentious called for "a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" at "the earliest appropriate moment," with the purpose "to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to Covid-19."

China could shape any result in its favor by putting off the WHO investigation until after the pandemic

China could shape any result in its favor by putting off the WHO investigation until after the pandemic

The resolution did not single out any individual country, but a number of nations -- including the US -- have accused Beijing of withholding information about the virus, which was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

The US has accused China of withholding information about the virus, while Beijing has responded by defending its handling of the outbreak.