Despite Trump’s accusation on April 7, 2020, that the WHO appears to be very ‘China-centric’, China’s relationship with the WHO is harder to quantify.
Much like with his complaints about the financial contributions made by countries in NATO, Trump’s strategy in criticizing China might have less to do with its relationship with the WHO, and more to do with the money it provides.
It seems that former President Trump feels that the organization should be more deferential to his administration as the U.S. contributes 12%-13% to the WHO’s annual budget, as appose to China only contributing 3% to a projected budget for 2020-21 of about $5 billion.
Since the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003, the Chinese have increased their numbers in the ranks of the WHO. The Chinese can justify their increased presence within the organization as many epidemics originate from Asia, so their expertise and experience are vital in this current outbreak.
