Liang Wannian of China's National Health Commission attends a news conference of the World Health Organisation (WHO) - China Joint Mission on Covid-19 - about its investigation of the Coronavirus outbreak in Beijing, China

Liang Wannian, who was co-leader of the joint study, claimed the Chinese and international researchers had access to the same data

A few hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) accused China of not sharing the required data on coronavirus pandemic's origin, China has hit back claiming these accusations to be fake.

During a media briefing, a senior Chinese health official said there was no factual basis to the accusations made by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros had claimed that China did not share proper data with the researchers appointed by the WHO to look into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a bid to prove the accusations to be false, Liang Wannian, who was co-leader of the joint study, claimed the Chinese and international researchers had access to the same data.

Wannian has also reported that the Chinese part of the research has been completed. As per the conclusion, he said he would recommend the world to look into potential early cases of coronavirus outside China in the next phase of this research.

Talking about the origin of the deadly virus, he also said that "coronaviruses very similar to COVID-19’s gene sequence have been found in bats and pangolins, but their similarity is not enough to make them a 'direct ancestor' of COVID-19."

His statement has come after the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus criticised the lack of data access from China about the study of the origins of Coronavirus.

"In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data," Tedros had said. "I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing."

Since WHO's statement on non-cooperation of China, the US and the UK, along with 12 other countries, have issued a statement of resistance against the WHO's report and have accused China of "withholding access to complete, original data and samples".

The statement, issued by 14 countries, has criticised the delay in the investigation and has demanded timely access for independent experts in future pandemics.