China calls for further support to WHO, rejects U.S. exit

China on Monday called on the international community to further consolidate consensus of backing multilateralism and increase political and financial support for the World Health Organization (WHO) to jointly safeguard global public health security.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing in response to the recent U.S. exit from the organization.

Zhao said the international community does not agree with the U.S. "selfish, responsibility-evading" act that is harmful to global fight against COVID-19.

In fact, the United States has made a habit of withdrawing from commitments, Zhao said, adding the act has once again exposed the U.S. practice of unilateralism and power politics.

As an international body made up of 194 sovereign states, the WHO does not serve any particular country and it should not defer to any country for providing more funding than others, he said.

In the face of COVID-19, the attempts to suppress or blackmail the WHO show indifference toward lives and pose challenges to humanitarianism, which will be surely rejected by the international community, he added.

China will continue to act as a responsible country and will consistently endorse the WHO's leading role in the global cooperation to fight COVID-19, Zhao said.