China names candidate for WHO chief

The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday China's nomination of Dr Song Li as a candidate for director-general of the World Health Organization, marking Beijing's support for multilateralism and global health cooperation.

Song, who has worked in the field of maternal and child health for over 20 years, currently serves as a member of the secretariat of All-China Women's Federation.

Earlier, she served as director-general of the Department of Maternal and Child Health at China's National Health Commission.

The nomination "reflects China's aspiration to work with all parties for a global community of health for all", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily news conference in Beijing. It also "demonstrates China's firm support for multilateralism and the WHO", she added.

As of Thursday afternoon, a page on the WHO website revealed the names of six candidates proposed by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Spain, Indonesia and Botswana. The WHO will release the complete list of nominees after final regional committee meetings, expected in early November, Reuters said.

In November 2006, Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, a public health official from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was elected director-general of the WHO, going on to serve two five-year terms from 2007 to 2017.

If Song is elected, she will become the second Chinese national to serve as the WHO chief.

An article, published by leading medical journal The Lancet in June 2021, described Song as the person "driving China's maternal and child health transformation".

Mao said, "We believe that if Dr Song is elected WHO director-general, she will help the organization play a more active role in improving the health and well-being of all humanity."

As the United Nations specialized agency for health, the WHO plays a leading and coordinating role in global public health governance, she noted.

"At present, multilateralism is facing severe challenges, and the development of global public health remains a long-term and arduous task," Mao said.

"Amid the changing landscape and new circumstances, the director-general has a crucial role to play in ensuring the WHO's steady and sustained progress," she added.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn