China on Wednesday defended sticking to its zero-Covid approach, calling critical remarks from the head of the World Health Organisation “irresponsible”.

The response from the Foreign Ministry in Beijing came after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had been discussing with Chinese experts the need for a different approach in light of new knowledge about the virus.

“When we talk about the zero Covid, we don’t think that it’s sustainable, considering the behaviour of the virus now and what we anticipate in the future,” Tedros said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing, "We hope that relevant people can view China’s policy of epidemic prevention and control objectively and rationally, get more knowledge about the facts and refrain from making irresponsible remarks.

“The Chinese government’s policy of epidemic prevention and control can stand the test of history, and our prevention and control measures are scientific and effective." (AP)