Coronavirus pandemic
China to give WHO $43m more after US freezes funds
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Officials, including Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, watching as medical supplies from China are being unloaded from a cargo plane at an airfield outside Kiev yesterday. China has donated more money to the WHO to support the fight against Covid-19 and strengthen developing countries' health systems, its Foreign Ministry said.
PHOTO: REUTERS
BEIJING • China has announced it will donate another US$30 million (S$43 million) to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to help in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, days after the United States said it would freeze its funding.
"China has decided to donate another US$30 million in cash to the WHO, in addition to the previous donation of US$20 million, to support the global fight against Covid-19 and strengthen developing countries' health systems," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing yesterday.
He added that China's contribution to the UN agency "reflects the support and trust of the Chinese government and people for the WHO".
The US, which is the WHO's biggest contributor, accused the health agency last week of "mismanaging" the Covid-19 crisis, drawing ire from China as both countries spar over the deadly virus. In announcing the funding freeze last week, US President Donald Trump accused the WHO of covering up the seriousness of the Covid-19 outbreak in China before it spread.
Mr Trump said US taxpayers provided between US$400 million and US$500 million per year to the WHO, while "in contrast, China contributes roughly US$40 million a year and even less".
The WHO is seeking more than US$1 billion to fund its battle against the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 people worldwide.
"At this crucial moment, supporting WHO is supporting multilateralism and global solidarity," Ms Hua Chunying, a spokesman of China's Foreign Ministry, said.
On Wednesday, WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he hoped the Trump administration would reconsider its decision.
"I hope the US believes that this is an important investment, not just to help others, but for the US to stay safe also," Dr Tedros said during a virtual briefing.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
