Here’s what U.S. has contributed to global efforts amid epidemic
By Zhong Sheng
The public health emergency
of the novel coronavirus pneumonia exactly exposed the unhealthy mentality of
certain country in handling international relations and cooperation.
The U.S. government was recently reported to have delayed a foreign aid fund it
promised and announced to reduce financial support to the World Health
Organization (WHO) when the world is at a critical moment in the combat against
the epidemic.
Such practice further
explained the role of the U.S. in international relations.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo announced recently on social media that Washington would offer up to
$100 million to China and other countries affected by the coronavirus to combat
its spread, saying "This commitment demonstrates strong U.S. leadership in
response to the outbreak.”
However, when asked about the
implementation of the fund at a news conference held on Feb.10 in Washington,
James Richardson, director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources
at the State Department, said the $100 million was just an upper limit.
Except for some assigned
projects to help Laos, he didn’t disclose further details about the fund.
Any constructive
international cooperation shall be welcomed in this global public health
challenge, including the assistance promised by the U.S. for Southeast Asian
countries such as Laos.
However, people would
question that the implementation of the assistance obviously doesn’t match what
Washington has promised. What’s more, the delayed aid is also not convincing
enough to back the “strong leadership” claimed by the U.S. government.
From announcing a
high-profile aid plan to being vague about concrete action, what on earth is
the intention of the U.S. govement?
When this question is still
confusing the world, it is followed by a 2021 budget proposal that says the
White House seeks to halve U.S. funding for the WHO which is leading the fight
against the coronavirus outbreak at this critical moment.
Washington explained that to
offer direct aid funding to designated countries is a better way to deal with
public health emergencies. However, this explanation further confused the world
– if the U.S. believes direct aid is more effective, then what is it doing to
make its promised $100-million aid effective?
What it has done is clear. The
country was the first to announce a travel ban against China, which clearly
violated the WHO's recommendation. Some U.S. politicians even took the lead in
spreading conspiracy theories and used the epidemic to discredit China.
Such dark mentality and
dangerous practices go against not only the U.S. claim of “strong leadership”,
but also the bottom line of human civilization.
It’s interesting that when
most American health experts and citizens hope to work with the world to defeat
the epidemic, Washington is politicalizing the matter and running counter to
the voice of the masses.
In recent years, America, the
leading country in the world, has shown decreasing enthusiasm for international
cooperation and reduced support for global multilateral systems, which is the
biggest concern of the international society over the country’s diplomacy. The
arbitrary practices of the U.S. are constantly worsening the negative impacts
on global governance, which is further indicated by the remarks and practices
of the U.S. amid the current epidemic.
Countries are interconnected
in today’s world where one who tries to blow out other’s oil lamp will get his
beard on fire. As a result, to strengthen cooperation remains the only right
choice to cope with challenges.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name
often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
Here’s what U.S. has contributed to global efforts amid epidemic
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