On May, 18, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping made a surprise visit to (WHO) the World Health Organization which has drawn leaders from around 100s of countries to formulate an agreed upon global plan to tackle the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic that is plaguing the world stage.

President Jingpin delivered a speech to the world, explaining China’s point of view about its handling the COVID-19 pandemic as it was ravaging the Chinese landscape, despite 116 countries led by Australian leaders who are demanding an investigation regarding the inception of this coronavirus infection in China, and its lack of transparency during the time frame of November-December 2019.

While President Trump has been discounting the efforts of the World Health Organization’s efforts to effectively develop a resolution to address the COVID-19 pandemic and he has been threatening the withdrawal funds, his obvious disdain prompted his decision to not attend the current 2 day event being conducted by its WHO’s organizers. Instead President Jingpin is committing to give $2 billion dollars to assist WHO in addressing this world’s health crisis as he praises its efforts.

As per the HHS.gov website, the (HHS) Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is participating in the 72^nd World Health Assembly (WHA) as head of the U.S. delegation. Since arriving in Geneva, Switzerland, Secretary Azar has delivered the U.S. plenary statement and participated in multiple bilateral meetings with his counterparts.

But China does not have diplomatically clean hands with its blocking of  officials from Taiwan, a country that has successfully tackled the COVID-19 pandemic within its borders, from attending the WHO convention, set up to figure out a world driven solution to help its individual member countries successfully fight back the COVID-19 pandemic that has been causing so much illness, fatalities and economic pain and that doesn’t recognize the borders of all the different regions.

Here’s the rest of the story…

As per the May 18, 2020 Singapore/ Reuters publication, Straits Times’ article, “China defends handling of coronavirus, backs review of global response under WHO:”

Excerpts:

“Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Monday for an independent review of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic under the World Health Organisation (WHO) once the virus is under control, and defended Beijing’s own handling of the pandemic.”

“In a video message to a virtual meeting of the WHO’s decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, Xi also pledged US$2 billion (S$2.9 billion) over two years to help with the Covid-19 response.”

“During the two-day meeting, health ministers from around the world are expected to back calls for an independent evaluation of the WHO’s performance, criticism of which has been led by US President Donald Trump. The meeting could also be dominated by tension between China and the United States, which has fiercely criticised Beijing’s response in the early stages of the pandemic.”

“Xi said: “China supports a comprehensive evaluation of the global response to the epidemic after the global epidemic is under control, to sum up experiences and remedy deficiencies.”

“This work needs a scientific and professional attitude, and needs to be led by the WHO and the principles of objectivity and fairness need to be upheld,” he said.

“Calling the pandemic “the most serious global public health emergency since the end of World War II”, Xi said: “All along we have acted with openness and transparency and responsibility.”

“We have turned the tide on the virus,” he said. The Covid-19 outbreak was first detected in the country in late 2019.

The Chinese leader said any vaccines developed against the disease by China will be made a public good.

Covid-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good, which will be China’s contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries, said Mr Xi.

China has five potential vaccines in clinical trials as countries race to find a way to stop the pathogen that has killed more than 316,000 people worldwide.

Mr Xi said: “After the research and development of China’s coronavirus vaccine is completed and it is put into use, it will be made a global public good.”

His comments came as acrimony increased worldwide over the country’s handling of the outbreak.

Mr Xi was invited by World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to give a video speech at the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly.

United States President Donald Trump, under fire at home over his own handling of the pandemic, has escalated attacks on China, with an aide going so far as to say that the Chinese government sent airline passengers to spread the infection abroad.

The European Union and Australia have also been pushing for a probe into the virus’ origins.

Mr Xi said on Monday that China will work with other G-20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries.

China is also ready to work with the international community to bolster support for the hardest-hit countries under the greatest strain of debt service, so that they can tide over the current difficulties, Mr Xi added.

“The World Health Assembly is expected to discuss a resolution being presented by the European Union that calls for an independent evaluation of the WHO’s performance under its director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.”

“Names on a draft resolution seen by Reuters showed support from 116 of the 194 countries in the WHO.”

“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the WHO “irreplaceable” and said it needed greater resources to provide support for developing countries.”

“Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga pledged her country’s “full support and cooperation” to Tedros as the WHO coordinates the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 317,000 people worldwide.”

“A US-backed group of countries has, meanwhile, been pushing for Taiwan, whose handling of the pandemic has been a rare success story, to attend the meeting as an observer.”

“Despite strong efforts, Taiwan did not get invited to the meeting because of Chinese pressure, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister (said).”

“China considers the self-ruled island of Taiwan a breakaway province and does not qualify to become a WHO member or to take part in other WHO activities. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan back under mainland control.”