China Nominates Dr. Song Li for W.H.O. Leadership
The Chinese government has put forward Dr. Song Li, the former director of the China National Health Commission, as its candidate for the next director-general of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.).
Reuters reported the nomination early Thursday, and it was confirmed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning during a press briefing.
Mao mentioned that this nomination aligns with China’s efforts to increase its influence within international organizations like the W.H.O. This push follows the U.S. withdrawal of support, a decision made by President Donald Trump in July 2020, partly due to claims that China held excessive influence over the health agency.
Trump had stated, “China has total control over the World Health Organization despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year,” when announcing the withdrawal.
The Biden administration reversed Trump’s withdrawal decision in January 2021, but Trump signed an executive order to exit W.H.O. again when he returned to office in January 2025.
Mao emphasized the significance of the W.H.O. director-general’s role during challenging times for multilateralism and noted the necessity for the organization to adapt to new global health needs. She remarked that Dr. Song’s nomination reflects China’s intent to cooperate globally in building a healthier community and supports multilateralism.
She expressed optimism, stating, “We believe that if Dr. Song Li is elected W.H.O. director-general, she will help the organization play a more active role in improving the health and wellbeing of all humanity.”
The South China Morning Post highlighted that if elected, Song would be the first individual from mainland China to head the U.N. health agency. Previously, a doctor from Hong Kong, Margaret Chan, served as the director-general from 2007 to 2017, followed by the current director, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The W.H.O. director-general is appointed for a five-year term, with the potential for one reappointment; Tedros is expected to leave office in August 2027.
Dr. Song currently ranks as the seventh nominee for the position, joining candidates from Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Spain, and Botswana. Until recently, she was the Director-General of the Department of Women and Child Health at China’s National Health Commission, and she also holds a position on the secretariat of the All-China Women’s Federation, which operates under the oversight of the Communist Party.
With educational qualifications from Shandong Medical University and Peking University, Song also spent time as a “visiting scholar in global health” at Harvard in 2010. She played a role in shaping China’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to maternal and newborn care protocols and forming networks for treating infected pregnant women.
A former senior W.H.O. official suggested that China might utilize Song’s candidacy to strengthen its influence within the organization by ensuring more Chinese officials occupy senior roles.
The United States remains the largest single contributor to the W.H.O., with China in fourth place. However, the World Health Assembly (W.H.A.) suspended the U.S.’s voting rights due to “unpaid arrears” last May.
In response to Trump’s withdrawal order, the W.H.O. cut its base budget by about 21 percent. The W.H.A. stated it would not officially acknowledge the U.S. withdrawal until all dues have been settled.
Argentina also withdrew from the W.H.O. last year, but unlike the U.S., it had no legal right to quit its membership contingent upon dues payment. The W.H.O. has never formally accepted the withdrawal of any member nation.
