US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a speech in Addis Ababa on February 19, 2020. Photo: AFP
China has been offering assistance to other countries while combating COVID-19 at home, and China has no intention to compare with other countries in doing this, China’s Foreign Ministry said following US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that the US’ contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO) is 10 times that of China.
As the world’s largest economy and the developed country with the strongest comprehensive strength, the US is certainly welcome to offer more assistance to developing countries, and the more the better, Hua Chunying, spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry, said at Wednesday’s media briefing.
This is also the responsibility and obligation of the US as the world’s largest developed country, and also a commitment that developed countries should make to developing countries, Hua said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a press conference on Tuesday that the US remains by far the largest contributor to the World Health Organization since 1948. “Our contributions exceeded $400 million last year, 10 times that of China.”
“Our generosity, our pragmatism aimed at saving American lives now and in the future is also exemplified through our work with multilateral organizations,” Pompeo said.
“Pompeo mentioned the US’ international aid started in 1948. I was wondering why he counted it from 1948, and I found it very interesting,” Hua said.
As the largest developing country, China has been providing assistance to other developing countries without any political conditions under the framework of South-South cooperation.
China has been offering support and assistance to other countries in dire need while combating the COVID-19 at home. This is out of a humanitarian spirit, but also in return for other countries’ previous support to China, Hua said.
“We are doing this with our best efforts, and we have no intention to compare with any other country,” she said.
Global Times
