U.S. cuts WHO ties over virus; takes action over Hong Kong

With the current state of the "leadership" in the USA these days, I'm more than happy that the US is no longer part of WHO.  And it's not just WHO - it is any international body the Trump despises.  Probably because he thinks he knows better than anyone else (on any subject).  So off you go Trump, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Very good move ... at least he has the courage to oppose China than any other world leader at present ...

Opposing China, when you want to be like them, this will make the people of Hong Kong lives more worst

What a sick idiot.

The world needs a coordinated response to the pandemic if we are going to get out of it and now the US is no longer part of the only international body which serves that function. Because Trump needs a scapegoat for another one of his failings.

This will just put more deaths on his hands.

World health, or world trade, JT?

Trump, who has complained for weeks about the World Trade Organization

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. will terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization

IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC!!! 

He's using any form of chaos he can to divert the attention of his supporters, the news media and voters away from the real issues........

100,000+ deaths and counting. 

Another police related death to a black man.

He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million.

Based on the figures above, it’s obvious China is bribing and the US is truly supporting WHO.

He's using any form of chaos he can to divert the attention of his supporters

Minneapolis is burning, we have the highest COVID death rate in the world, skyrocketing unemployment. Trump chooses to shift the blame on others. Why doesn’t just fire China?

Trump wishes he could just fire China.

The WHO is part of the UN. The UN is just about the slowest way to get anything decided, much less done. As a UN agency, the WHO will never be allowed to get data from outside the UN membership countries and their leaders. It is broken, by design. I don't think the US should completely leave the UN, but the US contribution should be 1/4th what China contributes. Same for the UN.

There are many nations abusing the "Developing Nation" status that the UN provides. Yet, there are no current methods for the UN to remove that status in an orderly way. Developing nations don't have nuclear warheads, space launch capabilities, human rights violations against millions, or a single-party system of govt and aren't currently at war or supporting/hiding terrorist organizations.

I'm sure there are a few more subtle tests to be applied so abuse of the Developing Nation status doesn't help undesirable countries.

The US may have contributed over 10 times the amount to WHO that China has. But it's obvious that China has secretly contributed to WHO officials to gain this degree of influence.

Supposing China calls in her debts?

What's Trump going to do then?

Forget his projection, he probably wants to do it because of this...

Thirty-seven countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) appealed on Friday for common ownership of vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools to tackle the global coronavirus pandemic, taking aim at patent laws they fear could become a barrier to sharing crucial supplies.

so if a cure is discovered in the United States, they can monopolise it.

BertieWoosterToday  07:30 am JST

Supposing China calls in her debts?

What's Trump going to do then?

Supposing the US refuses to honor it's debts?

What's Xi going to dio then?

You all are aware that the WHO does far more than predict pandemics. Defunding will be felt in poorer countries.

How do you justify the superb handling of this by Taiwan, without WHO guidance and support

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thenation.com/article/world/taiwan-who-coronavirus-china/tnamp/

Thanks for the move about Hong Kong. Wow... that's the first time I'm glad about something the Donald does. I hope the other OECD countries also give strong responses to Beijing, particularly the UK.

this will make the people of Hong Kong lives more worst

Their lives have been getting worst no matter what and future is scary. The only hope of not seeing their youth massively "reeducated" as Tibet and Uighur people have been, it is that international pressure make Beijing rethink.

World health, or world trade, JT?

You can't go wrong when you start with "Trump complained about...", as he's complained about everything.

Leaving the WHO is still stupid as even the organization is defective, it's the only one the world has, and both the US and the world lose due to this tantrum.

@Dinesh

100% agree!

Maybe the WHO can ask China for more corruption money.

deflect, deflect, deflect

Withdrawing from the WHO must make Trump feel pretty butch, like a latter day Mussolini storming out of the United Nations. But...

He's having a breakdown over Twitter.

Parts of the country are in riot.

The country is suffering an epidemic that the he claimed was a hoax.

The economy is collapsing and 30m are out of work.

Apart from that, everything is going swimmingly.

BertieWoosterToday  07:30 am JST

Supposing China calls in her debts?

What's Trump going to do then?

Supposing the US refuses to honor it's debts?

What's Xi going to dio then?

Just to clarify everything, the Chinese state holds a lot of US treasury bonds. It cannot call them in because they have contractual maturity dates. What it can do is sell them.

Selling them pushes the price of US bonds down, which means that China will lose money on the bonds is still holds. However, this will push the price of borrowing up for the USA, forcing interest rates up.

The way things are stacked, China probably can inflict flesh wounds on the USA by selling some of its bond holdings, but it would not want to sell too many. It also has to keep buying them because it needs somewhere to keep all the USD it earns by selling consumer goods to the Americans.

Taking Donald out of the equation.

Surely it is pretty obvious to most people at this point that the WHO is in China's pocket.

Whether or not they manipulated information about the Corona Virus, preventing Taiwan from participating fully in the WHO during a crisis period when they obviously had something to contribute isn't in the world's best interest.

Its not just the US that's pointed out the current issues with China and the WHO.

The UK and Australia as well as other European countries have also pushed for an inquiry into China's handeling of the outbreak and ultimately how the information was reported to the WHO and the rest of the world.

I thinks its important to separate the actual politics from the person, i don't particularly like Donald Trump but at the same time that doesn't mean everything that he does is wrong simply by association.

The whole world is looking on at what is happening in Hong Kong and whilst no one wants to see open conflict it is also equally true that no one wants to see the majority Democratic population suppressed under a totalitarian régime.

The so called western democracies we have across the world may not be perfect but they at least try to enshrine the ideas of freedom of expression and thought, introducing laws that make it a crime to mock the national anthem or the government or enforcing a social credit system onto a population isn't a society people want to live in its an Orwellian nightmare come to life.

There are bad police officers in America too.

May as well get rid of them. Not like they serve any good right?

This action by the US is akin to exactly that. As if not having a WHO is better than having one.

The WHO should just ignore America altogether going forward, and focus on the rest of the world. Let those people be sick on their own.

The US may have contributed over 10 times the amount to WHO that China has. But it's obvious that China has secretly contributed to WHO officials to gain this degree of influence.

I agree. The evidence is right here.

The U.N. health agency's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a gathering of international foreign and security policy leaders in Germany that "the steps China has taken to contain the outbreak at its source appear to have bought the world time."

Would have been? Who knows, he’s not in office and will never be and who cares?

Trump of course. Obama gives him an inferiority complex.

Everything Trump said in his speech about China made perfect sense.

The WHO has been compromised and become ineffectual!

A stupid, stupid move from our not so smart beloved president, trump.

Thr sanctions against Hong Kong are meaningless because Hong Kong exports so very little.

Like most of of what our dear president, trump does, all bark and no bite.

guys this is trump .He is real trump and good leader to me.

His actions against china are relentless and bold. otherwise, nobody can stop china but trump.

go on trumppp

Trump will say or do anything to dominate the news cycle. It's the one thing in his life he's been successful at doing.

And good riddance

So many things Biden is going to have to change when he gets inaugurated......

Good move. Start up a rival WHO - one that is democratic, transparent, and has the nation of Taiwan as the Chairman. The members of WHO are crooked, and the West will now refuse to listen to a single word Tedros and his gang say.

As for HK, very promising. It is to be hoped the West and Japan follow suit and treat them the same as Communist China. Seeing as the government is simply now a Communist China puppet. Everyone should boycott travel to HK, unless you support Communism China and want to line the pockets of HK authorities.

So many things Biden is going to have to change when he gets inaugurated......

That won’t happen and Obama won’t be able to hold Biden’s hand during the debates.

Good move. Start up a rival WHO - one that is democratic, transparent, and has the nation of Taiwan as the Chairman. The members of WHO are crooked, and the West will now refuse to listen to a single word Tedros and his gang say.

Most definitely.

quercetum

I agree. The evidence is right here.

The U.N. health agency's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a gathering of international foreign and security policy leaders in Germany that "the steps China has taken to contain the outbreak at its source appear to have bought the world time."

It may indeed be so, but that's not "evidence". That's "speculation". ;)

The WHO now flip flopped again saying masks not necessary. Why do we have to pay the rganization who can’t even answer such a simple question definitively?

What is most important is that Trump and his followers feel big and tough. And stick it to the libs. It's a bold and sophisticated new political movement.

Why do we have to pay the rganization who can’t even answer such a simple question definitively?

Do you have another global organization in mind that can do the job better?

Start up a rival WHO - one that is democratic, transparent, and has the nation of Taiwan as the Chairman. 

Sure. Go for it. Piece of cake.

He is real trump and good leader to me.

He have good and big brain.

@Allistaso if a cure is discovered in the United States, they can monopolise it.

Bingo. That's why Trump appointed Jared. The Trump syndicate is looking to cash in in any way they can. Corrupt businesspeople, corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

What is most important is that Trump and his followers feel big and tough. And stick it to the libs. It's a bold and sophisticated new political movement.

So he should just ignore liberals and their tired effort to undermine his Presidency?

Do you have another global organization in mind that can do the job better?

Better job? That’s debatable.

Good move. The WHO is a Chinese puppet and China needs to be checked and forced out of Hong Kong and then Taiwan.

So he should just ignore liberals and their tired effort to undermine his Presidency?

We still haven't finished paying you back for eight years of undermining Obama silly.

We still have four more years banked for whenever the Republicrites manage to get someone else in the white house some day.

Strong and appropriate actions. How come Biden didn't suggest doing this? I'm starting to reconsider my support for him...

He's having a breakdown over Twitter.

Heh, more like Twitter's having a breakdown over him.

Trump of course. Obama gives him an inferiority complex.

Ah hahahahahahah, one of the funniest things you've ever said, Stranger. :D

So many things Biden is going to have to change when he gets inaugurated.

For sure! Number one on the list will be to become subservient to China again, and make China number one in the world.

Number two will be to raise taxes on everyone and stop the recovery which is going to start in earnest later this year.

--Do you have another global organization in mind that can do the job better?

Better job? That’s debatable.

Kudos for your reading comprehension skills.

--He's having a breakdown over Twitter.

Heh, more like Twitter's having a breakdown over him.

That's right. From now on it's gonna be Twitter tweeting on Trump's own social media platform. That'll show those far-left liberals and their fact checking!

Sen. Chris Murphy called it a distraction that would “hand over” the organization to China. 

Even though I would want Tedros to resign for his "will do anything for China" approach, I do not think Trump's recent decision is well calculated. Thus, I totally agree with Chris Murphy's comment.

Just one day after Trump slammed Tweeter for warning everyone, "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence," Trump has just thrown the kitchen sink at WHO showing when Trump cannot get his way, he exhibited temper tantrump like a spoiled brat who would do anything to destroy his opponent.

rainyday:

The world needs a coordinated response to the pandemic if we are going to get out of it and now the US is no longer part of the only international body which serves that function.

So you are oblivious to the CCP dominance over the WHO and all the China-dictated false advice the WHO has been giving? As well as the refusal of the WHO to recognize the existance of Taiwan? They forgot to mention all that on CNN?

Not a bit surprised when the WHO is essentially owned by China.

“China has replaced its promised formula of one country, two systems, with one country, one system,” he said.

“Well, we’re certainly not happy with what happened with respect to China,” he told reporters.

Yes, China is bad, China corrupted the WHO , HK is being controlled by China... etc, etc!

Yet Trump still choose NOT to give democratic 'friend' and 'ally' and 'like minded' Taiwan diplomatic recognition !

He still da-kine clings to evil C-H-I-N-A!

Now that makes his words against China a little bit contradicting and the world is laughing hard!

Trump should act more honorable and trustworthy like PM Shinzo Abe.

He certainly can learn a thing or two from Shinzo about not talking obvious nonsense and learning to control his mouth once in a while !

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.....

I hope when the WHO helps find a cure they don't offer it to the US except for the arrears the US will then owe them, plus a personal apology, on knees, by former president, convict 63744, Trump. Trump is clearly not interested in helping the nation, but only himself, and deflection of any and all blame for his handling is a big part of that. China is going to pick up the slack and then any balance that was providing by the US being a part will be largely gone, and China in an even better bargaining situation on things in the future, cure and otherwise.

Trump has been expressing anger at the World Health Organization for weeks over what he has portrayed as an inadequate response to the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in China’s Wuhan province late last year.

More pathetic distraction attempts from the real news of the day; over 100K Americans are dead and 41 million out of work because of the incompetence and stupidity of this President...the one falsely and bizarrely accusing his political opponents of murder...

And it's true to his pattern - cut and run rather than advance US interests...

If China has outsize influence at the WHO, that's only because the US retreated and gave it to them. Why not get it back so we can be better prepared when Round #2 of the virus hits this fall?

But that's not Donald Trump - RETREAT! FALL BACK! RUN! You see it with Russia, you see it with China, you see it with Syria.

That's his style....

Not a perfect organisation, by any means. Needs restructuring but to suggest it's owned by China is nonsensical.

Still, the timing isn't very clever. Good riddance to the fallen PotUS but, oh my days, what is he doing to the people? Not just in the US but the rest of the world?

Dark days.

“we have the highest COVID death rate in the world”

US:人口 335m Deaths 103K

UK:人口 65m Deaths 38K

The highest total number, yes. The rate, however, is much lower than many other countries.

Trump is clearly not interested in helping the nation, but only himself, and deflection of any and all blame for his handling is a big part of that.

He is interested, but he’s right, I don’t want my tax dollars to fund a corrupt organization that bows down to Communist China.

China is going to pick up the slack and then any balance that was providing by the US being a part will be largely gone,

Good.

and China in an even better bargaining situation on things in the future, cure and otherwise.

I seriously doubt that. We don’t need the WHO and we definitely don’t need the U.N.

I hope when the WHO helps find a cure they don't offer it to the US

Harsh. It should be on offer to everyone, no strings attached. Even trump and his death cultists.

Nobody should die needlessly. And if anti-vaxxers and other broken people don't want the vaccine, fine. But they must self-isolate.

I hope when the WHO helps find a cure they don't offer it to the US

That’s unfair. The country may be led by someone who talks about injecting disinfectant but the decent and sane people of the country shouldn’t be punished for idiocy at the top.

Well, id say WHO had it coming.

With corruption rampant in WHO, countries will find it hard to allocate essential funds which could be used to battle corona virus in their own country.

But i dont completely agree with Trumps logic though.

Light punishment, not enough or fitting of the crime! If your doctor gave you advice like the WHO has, he/she would be up for criminal neglicence. Someone in the WHO has to pay for this!

What about China? Surely crime against humanity is involved here.

To those criticising Trump about Minneapolis, Minnesota has a Democratic governor, stop your bias and virtuous nosebleeding already.

The revocation of Hong Kong’s special status is just one of many essential measures to sheet home to China that the US and it’s allies are wise to their game. The next cab off the rank should be official recognition of Taiwan as a fully fledged nation state. After that, the US needs to crack down on China circumventing US tariffs by transshipment through other ports. A stint in the dog house is exactly what’s needed for them to realise that America’s bite can easily be ratcheted up to match it’s bark.

I don't know about most of you readers but I just can't stop laughing "sanctions" please NK, Iran, Russia, and many other countries have proven that "sanctions" do not work. Why would this be any different. The world caved in to China under the pretense of a false democracy trade system that instead ended up encroaching on Japan and its territories, encroachment on its other neighbors and building a massive military like some sort of planned invasion heading their way or maybe its them heading our way. I say the latter as their actions are clearly showing it. The world should stop trading with China and increase trade with Japan.

He's not happy with China but wants to give the WHO over to them and Hong Kong as well? Huh? How do you be angry with China by giving them everything they want?

It makes no sense

Good move. The WHO is a Chinese puppet and China needs to be checked and forced out of Hong Kong and then Taiwan.

Brilliant. Force China out of China.

It may indeed be so, but that's not "evidence". That's "speculation". ;)

Exactly, osaan’s speculation.

Very good move ... at least he has the courage to oppose China than any other world leader at present ...

actually opposite, China has already suggested they'll fill the funding gap that the US is making, just going to push WHO closer to China not further away

The "Great Divider" strikes again!

I don't know about most of you readers but I just can't stop laughing "sanctions" please NK, Iran, Russia, and many other countries have proven that "sanctions" do not work. 

The US tried sanctions on China by the embargoes. It didn’t work. It has failed miserably in opening up China. Failed with ROC, failed with PROC, failed with Vietnam and North Korea and threw Taiwan under the bus. It only has democratized Japan after bombing it and has only half of Korea when it could have had the whole peninsula,

The world should stop trading with China and increase trade with Japan.

how do you propose that , the only way you can get into the huge domestic market that is China is by manufacturing there, unfortunately J factories will never be able to compete with Chinas factories manufacturing the same cars, electronic , goods

BertieWooster

Supposing China calls in her debts?

What's Trump going to do then?

trump doesn't pay his bills! That in addition to his lying is why smart people don't trust him.

wtfjapanToday 02:02 pm JSTThe world should stop trading with China and increase trade with Japan.

how do you propose that , the only way you can get into the huge domestic market that is China is by manufacturing there, unfortunately J factories will never be able to compete with Chinas factories manufacturing the same cars, electronic , goods

J factories have before, and any US servicemen who's been there can tell you - Japanese goods are very good. Their electronics are built to last, and I have a pair of binoculars made in Japan - used them to see sporting events, heavenly bodies (astronomy and women), bird watching, outdoor concerts and more for nearly 40 years and they are still in excellent condition. I just observed the planet Mercury with them tonight before it sat and clouds overran the sky.