At the critical moment of the global anti-epidemic, the "dumping the pot", "breaking the supply" and "withdrawing from the group" farce
　　will be staged one after another to withdraw from the WHO. Will the United States become an "isolated island"? (Global Hotspot)

　　According to US media reports, on July 6, the US government wrote to UN Secretary General Guterres, stating that he will withdraw from the World Health Organization on July 6, 2021. In this regard, United Nations Secretary-General spokesman Stephen Duharic said that the United Nations is checking with the World Health Organization whether the United States meets all the conditions for withdrawal.

　　Since the outbreak of the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic, US dissatisfaction and accusations against WHO have escalated. From "throwing the pan" to announcing the "cut off supply" and now deciding to "retire from the group", the willful actions of the US government have brought many variables to the global anti-epidemic actions facing severe challenges.

　　Undermine global anti-epidemic efforts

　　"The United States is going to'divorce' with WHO after an interval of 72 years." South Korea's "Daily Economy" recently reported that the United States government decided to withdraw from the World Health Organization at a time when the global new coronary pneumonia epidemic has spread rapidly.

　　United Nations Secretary-General spokesman Duharik confirmed on July 7 that Guterres has received a notice from the United States to withdraw from WHO. Since withdrawal from WHO requires one year's notice, the decision to withdraw from the United States will take effect on July 6, 2021. Prior to this, the United States must pay more than $200 million in dues currently owed to WHO.

　　Since the outbreak of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic, the farce that the United States has threatened to withdraw from WHO has lasted for months.

　　In April this year, US President Trump announced that due to the poor performance of WHO in handling the new coronary pneumonia epidemic, the United States will suspend funding for WHO and conduct a 60-90-day review of the organization in the hope that it will Make meaningful reforms. On May 29, Trump also announced that because the WHO "refuses to implement the reforms requested by the United States," the United States will terminate its relationship with WHO. The US Fox News reported that when submitting the "withdrawal" notice on the 7th, the United States once again accused the WHO of slow response to the new coronary pneumonia epidemic.

　　Although the international community is no stranger to the repeated "retreat" behaviors of the United States, at a critical moment when the global epidemic situation remains severe, the "breakup letter" issued by the U.S. government to WHO still arouses relevant international organizations and countries. Strong dissatisfaction.

　　United Nations Foundation Chairman Elizabeth Cousins ​​believes that the US government’s move is short-sighted and very dangerous. WHO is the only organization capable of leading and coordinating the global response to the new coronary pneumonia epidemic. Terminating the relationship between the United States and WHO will "destruct the world." Efforts to fight the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic have put us all at risk."

　　There was also a wave of opposition in the United States. Two days after the "withdrawal" notice was issued, on July 8, the United States Johns Hopkins University released statistics showing that there were more than 3 million confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in the United States. US Speaker of the House of Representatives Pelosi wrote on social media criticizing that the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization is meaningless. When the lives of millions of people are at risk, the US government is weakening international efforts to defeat the virus.

　　The US "Capitol Hill" also issued a document on the 8th calling on the US Congress, courts, and the public to stop this "reckless decision not conducive to US national interests."

　　"Dumping the pan" and "retreating from the group" farce upgrade

　　"At present, the domestic epidemic situation in the United States is rebounding, especially in the southern and western regions. The US federal government is facing great pressure and it is difficult to coordinate the state's anti-epidemic at the national level. Under this situation, the United States withdrew from the WHO and tried to release There is a signal that the responsibility for the outbreak is out of WHO, not the government." Sun Chenghao, a scholar at the American Research Institute of the China Institute of Modern International Relations, told the newspaper that "retreating from the group" is the US government's "dumping pot" WHO. Continuation.

　　Many US media also believe that WHO is just another victim of the "blame game" initiated by the US government. The US government’s announcement to withdraw from the WHO is actually to divert the attention of the domestic people and accuse the government of being ineffective in responding to the crisis. It is an upgraded version of the “dump pot”.

　　An analysis also pointed out that the US government's move to "retreat from the masses" was premeditated. In the latest budget proposal in February 2020, the US government called for a reduction of the US assessment of WHO to 57.9 million US dollars.

　　Associate Professor Wang Hao of the American Research Center of Fudan University believes that since the current US government came into power, the "retreat" behavior has been coherent, which is related to the diplomatic concept of "American first" and anti-globalization held by the current government. Withdrawing from the WHO is the latest manifestation of its inertia of "withdrawing from the group".

　　In recent years, the US government has announced its withdrawal from international organizations such as UNESCO, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and other international agreements such as the Iran nuclear agreement, the Paris climate agreement, and the "Guide to the Treaty". Come again and again.

　　"Diplomacy is an extension of internal affairs. Domestic politics has become a driving factor for the current US government to change course in foreign policy. Supporters of the current US government have low recognition of the political elite of the establishment, and their identity and demographic structure for the "American" Change and multiculturalism are full of anxiety, and their focus on their narrow economic interests far exceeds the interest on global interests." Sun Chenghao pointed out that the US government’s "de-groupism" and "dumping pot" behaviors in economic and trade, global governance and collective security also have The intention to cater to this part of public opinion.

　　The United States has also reported that the United States may start afresh after "withdrawing from the group" and establish a global agency with the functions of the WHO led by the United States. "If this is the case, the United States is actually retreating in order to rebuild a multilateral mechanism that is in the national interest of the United States. If the United States does this, it will have a greater impact on global governance and international order." Sun Chenghao said.

　　International credibility is questioned

　　The WHO's daily epidemic report shows that as of 10 o'clock on the 9th daylight saving time in central Europe, there have been more than 11.84 million confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia worldwide. The constantly refreshing data reminds people that the epidemic is still accelerating and has not yet reached its peak. The international community generally believes that at this juncture, the US "retreat" behavior is not only a great damage to international anti-epidemic efforts, but also a major threat to global public health.

　　The German Federal Minister of Health Spand said on the 8th that the US decision was "a setback for international cooperation." Italian Health Minister Speranza pointed out that the public health crisis showed that WHO needs reform, but it cannot be weakened. The choice of the US government is "serious and wrong."

　　Some analysts pointed out that, in addition to the stumbling block for international cooperative anti-epidemic actions, the fact that the United States withdraws from WHO will also have financial consequences, because US contributions to WHO account for about 15% of the total donations.

　　"Who will make up for the funding gap after the United States' withdrawal from the group? At present, it seems that it is difficult for other countries to make up for the funding gap left by the United States in the short term." Sun Chenghao pointed out that in the face of the epidemic, most countries are still in their own insecurity. In the current state, the financial problems caused by the United States' "retreat" will affect the WHO's anti-epidemic projects. "With the global epidemic still raging, it is a very unethical act for the United States to withdraw from WHO at this time, which will attack the global health coordination mechanism."

　　The United States itself is also difficult to avoid shocks. According to an article on the Capitol Hill website, "The United States will withdraw its fruits after withdrawing from WHO." The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Vice-Chairman and Democratic Senator Menendez criticized, "This move can neither protect the lives of the American people, nor protect the interests of the United States, it will only make the American people suffer from illness and make the United States isolated."

　　Wang Peng, associate researcher at the Chongyang Institute of Finance at Renmin University of China, pointed out that for a superpower like the United States, its international leadership is largely reflected in its global governance capabilities. At present, at a time when global anti-epidemics are being tackled, the United States' withdrawal from the world's most important public health governance platform and its refusal to help other countries will damage its international leadership.

　　"Whether it was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement, the Paris climate agreement, or now withdrawing from the WHO, the actions of the US government will leave the international community with a question mark on the continuity of its diplomacy. In the future, there will be similar negotiations or multilateral agreements. International credibility will be questioned." Sun Chenghao said.

Yan Yu

Yan Yu