China calls for financial, political support for WHO as U.S. cuts ties

China's Foreign Ministry on Monday called for the international community to boost financial and political support to the World Health Organization (WHO) after the U.S. announced it's cutting ties with the organization over the body's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Another withdrawal: How did the Trump administration and the WHO get to this point?

Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the comment Monday at a daily media briefing, saying the international community has disagreed with U.S.' selfish behaviors and called the U.S. a habitual quitter.

The "WHO is an organization composed of 194 sovereign states, it does not serve only one country, and it does not surrender to one country's will who pays more," Zhao said. "Any suppression and blackmail against the WHO is an indifference to life, a challenge to humanitarianism, and a destruction of international cooperation."

Zhao added China, as a responsible country, will continue to support the WHO's leading role in global cooperation in the fight against COVID-19.