China tells journal publishers to share research with WHO’s Covid-19 database

China has called for research literature and data to be shared with the World Health Organisation’s international Covid-19 database, in an apparent bid to counter accusations it has not been transparent about the outbreak.

The China Association for Science and Technology, a government-backed organisation, asked its members to contribute to the WHO’s collection of data in an open letter on its website on Tuesday.

“The CAST calls on all relevant publishers to proactively participate in building the WHO’s Covid-19 database, and to authorise the WHO to use their original metadata and journal papers,” the letter said.

“[This will allow] global medical workers and researchers combating the pandemic to more thoroughly and widely benefit from our country’s research developments and treatment, prevention and control experiences,” it said.

The database was set up to give scientists open and free access to research on the new coronavirus, which has killed more than 323,000 people and infected nearly 5 million worldwide. It is a collection of research papers related to Covid-19 from academic journals around the world, some of which usually limit access to subscribers.

Those who sign up for the database will grant the WHO irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free licence to reproduce and use the metadata and abstracts of their Covid-19 research for five years.

As of Wednesday, the WHO database had received contributions from more than 20 Chinese medical journals, including those published by the Chinese Medical Association, run by the CAST.

As the deadly virus continues to spread, China has come under mounting international criticism over its handling of the pandemic, especially cover-ups and missteps in the early stage after the first cases were reported in the city of Wuhan in December.

The United States and European Union have criticised China for a lack of transparency and demanded that more information be shared. US President Donald Trump accused Beijing of hiding the true number of cases and deaths in China and criticised the WHO response, saying it sided with Beijing and “failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday defended his country’s handling of the pandemic in an address to the WHO’s decision-making body, the World Health Assembly. He said China had acted with transparency and “done everything in our power” to help other countries.

“We have provided information to the WHO and the relevant countries in the most timely fashion. We released the genome sequence at the earliest possible time,” Xi said.

He was referring to Chinese scientists identifying the novel coronavirus in late December and completing and making available its genome sequence in early January.

A resolution to hold an independent investigation into the pandemic was later adopted at the WHA, with China’s backing.