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United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US will terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization alleging that the multi-lateral organization is biased towards China.
Trump said that the US will also withdraw special trade benefits extended to Hong Kong because China has imposed new security laws in the semi-autonomous city, as per the Associated Press report.
The US has decided to take the harsh step as two countries engage in the cold war.
President Trump has been criticizing the WHO had called it a “puppet of the Chinese government.”
He further said the global health body failed to adequately respond to the outbreak because China has “total control” over the global organization.
“We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly, but they have refused to act," the president said from the White House.
“Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating the relationship.”
The measure is seen as the major blow to the WHO funding as the US is the biggest donor.
Trump said the U.S. would be “redirecting” the money to “other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs,” without providing specifics.
He said Chinese officials “ignored” their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured it to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered.
He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million.
Hong Kong
Tensions in Hong Kong brews in as China has cracked down the protesters to hegemonize the former British territory.
In the view of recent developments, Trump said the administration would begin eliminating the “full range” of agreements that had given Hong Kong a relationship with the US that mainland China lacked, including on trade and extradition.
He said the State Department would begin warning US citizens of the threat of surveillance and arrest when visiting the city.
The president also said the US would be suspending the entry of certain Chinese citizens. He didn't provide specifics, but officials said this week that the administration was considering expelling thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at US universities, AP added.
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