The United States is set to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), and Chinese officials are saying the move will only hurt the international fight against COVID-19.
During a press conference on Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry’s Zhao Lijian was asked about the move.
“This is another example of the U.S. being a pursuer of unilateralism and a quitter from treaties and organizations,” he said.
Zhao continued:
“As the most authoritative and professional international organization for global public health security, the World Health Organization plays a central and irreplaceable role in coordinating global efforts against COVID-19. As the international fight against COVID-19 is now at a crucial stage, it is an international consensus that to support WHO is to support international cooperation and to support saving lives.”
“The US withdrawal will undercut international combat against the virus, which will have particularly severe impact on developing countries that are in urgent need of international support,” he added.
Additionally, Zhao called on the U.S. to “fulfill its due international responsibilities and obligations and behave as a responsible major country.”
Zhao’s comments come a day after Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) tweeted on Tuesday, “Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic.”
“To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn’t do it justice. This won’t protect American lives or interests — it leaves Americans sick [and] America alone,” he added.
Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the @WHO in the midst of a pandemic.
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) July 7, 2020
To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn't do it justice. This won't protect American lives or interests—it leaves Americans sick & America alone.
President Donald Trump had previously declared that the U.S. would end its relationship with WHO as he claimed the organization failed to make the reforms he had demanded.
“China has total control over the World Health Organization despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year,” he said during an event in the Rose Garden in May.
“We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly, but they have refused to act,” he added.
Finally, Trump declared, “Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.”
On May 18, Trump sent the WHO a letter that demanded the agency commit to a series of reforms and warned that the U.S. would slash funding to the agency.
Since the coronavirus began spreading throughout the world, Trump has blasted the agency’s handling of the outbreak and its connection to China.
The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2020
The United Nations said the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO would take effect in July 2021.
