It has been over four weeks since the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 mysteriously veered off course en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard.

The prolonged search for the missing jet, now underway in a vast and undefined area of the south Indian Ocean, appeared to fit Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's description as "the most difficult in human history."

Thus it is clear that such unprecedented task calls for unmatched global teamwork based on smooth communication, sound coordination, close collaboration and mutual understanding.

With 154 Chinese nationals aboard the plane, Beijing responded with an unprecedented mobilization of resources for a search mission, deploying 21 satellites and sending more than ten vessels and dozens of aircraft to the search zone.

Meanwhile, China has been actively promoting international cooperation from the start. It supported Malaysia's leading role in investigating the incident, and respected Australia's role as the coordinator in the current ocean search.

Contrary to some irresponsible media reports about "frictions" between China and Malaysia over the issue, Beijing has reiterated its appreciation and gratitude for Kuala Lumpur's efforts in plane search, investigation, coordination and treatment of the families of the passengers of the missing jet.

In a recent phone conversation with his Australian counterpart Abbott, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang appreciated Australia's search effort and pledged continued close cooperation with Australia, Malaysia and other parties to find the plane and conduct a thorough investigation.

With the aircraft's inexplicable disappearance still tormenting the families of the passengers aboard, occasional outpourings of grief, disappointment or anger are understandable.

However, pointing finger at some country or somebody wouldn't help solve the mystery or safeguard the rights and interests of the victims and their families.

Any attempt to manipulate such public mood to attract attentions and increase influence is counterproductive and doomed to fail.

As the plane search continues, there are so many important things to do and any distraction should be avoided. A pressing issue is to find the aircraft's black box, which is supposed to be running out of battery soon.

Moreover, there's still a long way to go before we could recover the wreckage, find out what really happened, and settle compensation claims and other legal issues in the aftermath of the incident.

Facing such an unprecedented task of solving the MH370 mystery, the world has no choice but to work together and harder than ever.

A further step in that direction was taken on Saturday as Malaysia announced it had launched a formal investigation into the plane's disappearance that would include experts from Australia, the United States, China, Britain and France.

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