GENEVA, May 21: China has pledged an additional $500 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) over the next five years, stepping in as the U.N. health agency faces a significant funding gap following reduced contributions from the United States.

The announcement was made by China's Vice Premier Liu Guozhong during a speech at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday. “The world is now facing the impacts of unilateralism and power politics bringing major challenges to global health security… Multilateralism is a sure pass to addressing difficulties,” Liu told international delegates.

The WHO, which has relied heavily on voluntary contributions from member states, is preparing for a financial shortfall triggered in part by the U.S. decision under the Trump administration to pull back funding. The agency has already proposed cutting its 2026–2027 budget by 21%, bringing it down to $4.2 billion.

To address the funding crisis, the WHO plans to increase mandatory contributions from member states by 20% over the next two years. This move will make China the largest state contributor to the organization, surpassing the United States in core financial support.

It remains unclear whether China’s pledged $500 million includes the additional funds required through the new mandatory fee structure or whether it is a separate voluntary contribution.

The U.S. has historically been the WHO’s largest financial backer, providing hundreds of millions in both assessed and voluntary funding. Although the Biden administration restored much of the support suspended during the previous presidency, concerns remain about the stability of future U.S. contributions amid shifting political priorities.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has repeatedly called for more predictable and sustainable funding to help the organization respond effectively to global health threats, including pandemics and emerging diseases.