$500m pledge makes China top WHO donor after US withdrawal

Health agency looks to cut staff and reduce 2026-27 spending by 20%

20250523 WHO headquarters file photo

 The U.S., previously the largest contributor to the WHO, left a $600 million shortfall in the health agency's 2025 budget. © Reuters

YANG YUQI and HAN WEI, Caixin

China has pledged $500 million over five years to the World Health Organization, stepping in as the largest state donor after the United States' withdrawal from the United Nations health agency.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong made the commitment during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The pledge comes as the WHO grapples with its deepest financial crisis in decades, caused by President Donald Trump's decision in January to withdraw from the agency and stop funding. The U.S., previously the largest contributor, left a $600 million shortfall in the organization's 2025 budget.

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