As the World Health Organization (WHO) prepares to elect its next Director-General, China is reportedly entering the race by nominating a candidate. This move comes in the wake of the United States' withdrawal from the WHO, creating a vacuum that China appears eager to fill.
According to Reuters, citing sources, China plans to nominate Song Li, the Secretary-General of the All-China Women's Federation, for the position. The WHO is a United Nations agency responsible for addressing global health crises and diseases.
Song has over 20 years of experience in maternal and child health policy and international cooperation. She has served as the Deputy Director and Director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the National Health Commission and has participated in various expert committees on maternal health under the WHO.
In 2020, she was the editor of guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and control for women in China, aimed at establishing national standards for maternal health management during the pandemic.
Song's candidacy may draw attention due to the controversies surrounding the relationship between the WHO and China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump administration repeatedly criticized the WHO's response, alleging bias towards China, a claim the WHO has denied.
If elected, Song would become the second Chinese national to lead the WHO, following Margaret Chan, the former Director-General.
A diplomatic source told Reuters that China's nomination signals a clear intention to fill the void left by the U.S. withdrawal.
China has been actively seeking to expand its role in multilateral organizations, contrasting with the Trump administration's reduced engagement with the UN and its agencies. The U.S. officially withdrew from the WHO earlier this year.
With the departure of its largest donor, the WHO is undergoing significant organizational restructuring, which includes scaling back operations and reducing senior management positions, resulting in thousands of job losses.
While China has announced additional financial support for the WHO, it remains insufficient to cover the financial gap left by the U.S.
Meanwhile, the WHO is expected to release a complete list of candidates early next month. So far, candidates from six countries, including Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Qatar, Botswana, Indonesia, and Spain, have publicly announced their candidacies on the WHO website.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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