This short article examines whether China has incurred responsibility for violating a general due diligence obligation in customary international law or specific obligations under the WHO’s International Health Regulations and the WHO Constitution in a context of Covid-19. It is submitted that due diligence is merely a notion to describe a primary obligation, or a standard by which a particular primary obligation is assessed. It cannot serve as the basis for holding a State responsible. Regarding the WHO regime, actions taken by China after December 2019 neatly fit into the staggered requirements of Articles 6 and 7 of the International Health Regulations, which do not set out clear standards for the evaluation of a health emergency. On a more general level, we reflect upon the role of international law in global pandemic control and caution against the politicization of international health law.

1. Introduction
2. Has China Violated Its International Obligations?
    A. Due Diligence Obligation in International Law
    B. The WHO and the IHR
3. The Role of International Law in the Context of GlobalPandemic
4. Conclusion

• Xinxiang Shi(Lecturer of International Law at Dalian Maritime University, China. B.A. (Shanghai U.), LL.M. (CUPL) Ph.D. (Edinburgh))
• Xiaoou Zheng(Assistant Professor of International Law at Xiamen University, China. B.A. & LLM. (Zhongnan U. of Economics & Law), MSc. & Ph.D. (Edinburgh))