Control the WHO?
Amid increasing severe pandemic situations around the globe, the U.S. decision to halt its funding to the WHO has drawn sharp criticism. Saying the WHO "failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion," some U.S. politicians alleged China is "manipulating" and "bribing" the organization.
This accusation is absurd. As a firm supporter to multilateralism, China has all along been in good communication and cooperation with the WHO, a specialized UN agency responsible for public health security composed of 194 member states.
Among the 21-strong headquarters leadership team of the WHO, 11 are from the United States, the European Union, Canada and Australia, and only one is from China. They are all trained or practicing doctors, epidemiologists, rescue workers and public health experts.
In 2018 and 2019, China was the third biggest donor to WHO's assessed contributions, after the United States and Japan. According to the WHO, assessed contributions only account for less than a quarter of its total funding, with the rest being voluntary contributions. With both sources of funding counted, China is the ninth biggest contributor.
Isn't it too easy for the WHO to be "manipulated" by a single country?
Accusations that China has "blocked Taiwan's bid to join the WHO and put the health of the people there at risk" is also groundless. Taiwan, being part of China, has no right to join the WHO, whose membership requires sovereign statehood.
Since the start of COVID-19, China's National Health Commission has provided timely information to the Taiwan region. As of May 6, China's mainland had updated Taiwan on the situation 148 times. In mid-January, the mainland arranged a field visit to Wuhan for experts from Taiwan to help them learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of confirmed cases and COVID-19 response measures.
Self-serving help?
A friend in need is a friend indeed. China has been doing its utmost to help countries in need.
However, China's sincere efforts were distorted by some U.S. politicians as to serve "political and propaganda purposes."
As of mid-May, China has set up 2-billion-yuan fund for COVID-19 cooperation. China has provided anti-epidemic supplies to more than 150 countries and international organizations, shared experience on prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment with the rest of the international community, established online knowledge center on epidemic prevention and control that is open to all countries, held over 120 video conferences with more than 160 countries and international organizations, and sent 21 teams of medical experts to 19 countries.
Chinese medical experts discuss with members of academic committee and epidemiologists from Veneto via internet in Padova, Italy, March 18, 2020. [China's Anti-Epidemic Expert Team/Handout via Xinhua]
According to the Ministry of Commerce of China, between March 1 and May 6, China has met export orders for anti-epidemic supplies from 194 countries and regions. Among them, 77 countries and regions as well as six international organizations have signed commercial procurement agreements with China through official channels for 216 shipments of medical supplies.
Besides donating 50 million U.S. dollars in cash to the WHO, China has agreed to suspend principal and interest repayment for 77 developing countries' debts due between May 1 and the end of 2020, in response to the debt service suspension initiative for the poorest countries adopted at a recent G20 meeting.
A worker unloads medical supplies brought by an anti-covid-19 medical team from china to malaysia at kuala lumpur international airport in sepang, selangor, malaysia, april 18, 2020. [Chinese Embassy in Malaysia/Handout via Xinhua]
China's assistance to other countries is a return of their kindness in helping China with the COVID-19 response. The actions of support and assistance have been widely recognized by the international community. It is also a concrete step to put into action the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
