Mediaboss Marketing

China and the European Union are pushing President TrumpDonald John TrumpMichael Cohen to be released early from prison amid coronavirus pandemic: report Biden assembling White House transition team Top Republicans call on Trump to fund WHO pending director-general's resignation MORE to restore funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) after he announced late Tuesday that financial support would be halted pending a review of its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese and European Union officials condemned the presidents decision tohalt U.S. funding, which supported about 15 percent of WHOs 2019 budget, amounting to more than $400 million, Reuters reported.

When asked whether China would fill the U.S.s gaps in funding, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijiansaid that Beijing will look into relevant issues according to the needs of the situation, according to the news service.

Zhao reportedly added that the pandemic was at a vital point and the U.S.s lack of fundingwould affect worldwide efforts to fight coronavirus.

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, joined the criticism, callingTrump's decisionunjustified.

Deeply regret U.S. decision to suspend funding to @WHO. There is no reason justifying this move at a moment when their efforts are needed more than ever, Borrell tweeted. Only by joining forces we can overcome this crisis that knows no borders.

Deeply regret US decision to suspend funding to @WHO. There is no reason justifying this move at a moment when their efforts are needed more than ever to help contain & mitigate the #coronavirus pandemic. Only by joining forces we can overcome this crisis that knows no borders.

Trump announced that the U.S. would stop funding WHO at his Tuesday press briefing until a review of the global health organizations management of the coronavirus pandemic is undertaken.

The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion, the president said.

Democrats and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterresalso blasted Trumps decision, saying it will hurt the worlds responseto the ongoing pandemic, in whichnearly 2 million peopleworldwide have been infected and at least 127,590 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

See original here:
China, EU push Trump to restore WHO funding | TheHill - The Hill