China nominates health official Song Li to lead WHO

The United States, under President Donald Trump, has been reducing its engagement with the UN and its organizations, and has previously criticized the WHO's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing it of bias toward China. The WHO has rejected these accusations.

Song Li's official biography highlights her 20 years of expertise in maternal and child health policy and international cooperation. She was involved in national responses to public health crises such as SARS, bird flu, and COVID-19, and served as editor-in-chief for a COVID-19 prevention and control paper setting national standards for maternal and child health during the pandemic.

The WHO is expected to release a complete list of nominees in early November, following regional committee meetings. Several candidates have already made their candidacies public, including representatives from Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Qatar, Botswana, Indonesia, and Spain. A former WHO official suggested that China might leverage Song Li's candidacy to increase its influence within the organization by ensuring more Chinese senior officials are appointed.