China to donate WHO another $30 million as US suspends funding
China has announced to donate an additional $30 million to the World Health Organisation to fight the coronavirus pandemic as the US suspended funding to the health agency.
During a briefing, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stated, “China has decided to donate another $30 million in cash to the WHO, in addition to the previous donation of $20 million, to support the global fight against COVID-19.”
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says there are “worrying upward trends” in early epidemics in parts of Africa and Central and South America, warning that the “virus will be with us for a long time”.
The US, which is the WHO’s biggest contributor, accused the WHO last week of “mismanaging” the COVID-19 crisis.
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.
Trump said US taxpayers provided between $400 million and $500 million per year to the WHO, while “in contrast, China contributes roughly $40 million a year and even less”.
