Real actions urged for US to support WHO

China welcomes the return of the United States to the World Health Organization, but hopes it will support the WHO's work with "real actions", a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US said on Sunday.

"China welcomes the return of the US to the WHO. The organization is an authoritative multilateral international organization in the field of health, not a funfair where one can come and go at will," said the spokesperson in remarks over a recent statement issued by a senior US official claiming that the US reengaging with the WHO means holding it to the highest standards and questioning some ongoing work of the organization.

What the US has done in recent years has "severely undermined" multilateral institutions, including the WHO, and "gravely damaged" international cooperation on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the spokesperson added.

The US, "acting as if none of this had ever happened, is pointing fingers at other countries who have been faithfully supporting the WHO and at the WHO itself",the spokesperson said, adding: "With such a track record, how can it win the confidence of the whole world?"

While US President Joe Biden has reversed his predecessor Donald Trump's move to leave the WHO, it is hoped that the US will "hold itself to the highest standards, take a serious, earnest, transparent and responsible attitude, shoulder its rightful responsibility, support the WHO's work with real actions and make due contribution to the international cooperation on COVID-19. The whole world will be looking", the spokesperson said.

Agencies and Xinhua contributed to this story.