File picture shows World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a daily briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 9, 2020. (Photo by Li Ye/Xinhua)

 

The US' plan to halt funding for the "China centric" World Health Organization (WHO) will create a negative impact on international cooperation in fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, China's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the WHO has played an important role in pushing forward international cooperation against the disease under the leadership of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and has won recognition and high praise from the international community, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

The statement of the just-held G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit stressed that the role of WHO in coordinating international COVID-19 fighting activities should be fully supported and enhanced, Zhao said, noting that China will continue to firmly support the WHO's work and its leading role in global cooperation in fighting the pandemic.

The spokesperson's statement came after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US would halt funding to the WHO because it is "funded largely by the US, yet very China centric," according to US media reports on Tuesday.

Under the current global pandemic situation, the US' plan to halt funding for the WHO will have a negative impact on international cooperation in fighting the pandemic, and China hopes all countries contribute to the global pandemic fight together, Zhao said.

Global Times