President Donald Trump is set to restore partial U.S. funding to the World Health Organization, despite his recent fallout with the agency.
But the U.S. will only match what China currently pays in contributions, according to a draft letter from Trump to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom that was obtained by Fox News.
China’s current contribution is $40 million, a sum just one-tenth of the Trump administration’s obligation to the global health organization.
The White House will “agree to pay up to what China pays in assessed contributions” to the organization, according to the draft letter.
“Despite [its] shortcomings, I believe that the WHO still has tremendous potential, and want to see the WHO live up to this potential, particularly now during this global crisis” reads the draft letter, which is penned in Trump’s voice, according to Fox News.
“That is why I’ve decided the United States will continue to partner and work with the World Health Organization,” the letter continues.
“China owes a massive debt to the entire world, and it can start with paying its fair share to the WHO.”
The letter says the U.S. would consider increasing funding if China did so as well.
The stance comes a month after Trump announced he would be suspending funding to the United Nations agency because it is “China-centric.”
“The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain and share information in a timely and transparent fashion. The world depends on the WHO to work with countries to ensure that accurate information about international health is shared in a timely manner,” Trump said at the time.
With the restoration of funding, the letter also calls for reforms at the agency.
The White House is asking for “a universal review mechanism to publicly report on member state compliance with International Health Regulations.” And that includes “timely and effective declarations of Public Health Emergencies of International Concern.”
It also calls for the WHO’s leader to be “insulat[ed] … from political pressure in relation to public health decisions and participation in WHO meetings” and calls for “a fully independent assessment of the origin of this virus and the WHO COVID-19 response.”
