BEIJING: China on Tuesday vowed to support the World Health Organization (WHO) after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the body, which he has slammed over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Soon after his swearing-in on Monday, Trump signed an executive order beginning the process of withdrawing America from the WHO, the second time in less than five years that the US has ordered to withdraw from the world health body.
Reacting to Trump’s move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday that China will continue to support the world health body in fulfilling its duties.
Guo said that as an authoritative international organisation in the field of global public health, WHO plays a central coordinating role in global health governance, and its role should be strengthened, not weakened.
“The role of the WHO should only be strengthened, not weakened,” Guo said.
China will, as always, support WHO in fulfilling its duties, deepen international public health cooperation, strengthen global health governance, and promote the building of a global community of health for all, Guo said.
WHO regrets Trump’s move
WHO said it “regrets” Trump’s decision to withdraw his country from the UN agency, saying it hoped he would reconsider.
Speaking at the White House after his inauguration, Trump said the United States was paying far more to the United Nations body than China, adding: “World Health ripped us off.”
Washington provides substantial support that is critical to the WHO’s operations.
The UN health agency expressed disappointment Tuesday over Trump’s decision.
“WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans,” spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a press briefing in Geneva.
“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”
The American withdrawal could leave global health initiatives short of funding.
Jasarevic stressed it would take one year from formal notification being deposited with the UN for the United States to leave the WHO.
EU voices concerns
The European Commission voiced “concerns” at Trump’s decision, warning it could undermine the response to future pandemics.
“If we want to be resilient to global health threats, we need to have global cooperation,” commission spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova told reporters. “We trust that the US administration will consider all this ahead of the formal withdrawal.”
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In his new executive order, Trump directed agencies to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO” and to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.”
Rescind Biden’s strategy
Trump administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s 2024 US Global Health Security Strategy — designed to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats — “as soon as practicable.”
Several experts expressed dismay at the withdrawal.
“We cannot make WHO more effective by walking away from it,” Tom Frieden, a former senior health official under Barack Obama, wrote on X.
“The decision to withdraw weakens America’s influence, increases the risk of a deadly pandemic, and makes all of us less safe.”
Others warned that by exiting the organisation, the United States will lose privileged access to important epidemic surveillance data which could harm the capacity to monitor and prevent health threats from abroad.