US President Donald Trump has announced the United States will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, saying it had failed to adequately respond to the coronavirus because China has "total control" over it.
He said the Chinese officials "ignored" their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the health organisation to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered.
"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization," Trump told reporters on Friday.
He said the US contributes about $450m to the WHO while China provides about $40m, adding that the US will be "redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs".
"China's cover-up of the Wuhan virus allowed the disease to spread all over the world," Trump said.
(Source: Al Jazeera)
Add new comment