Withdrawal from WHO undermines US global influence, heightens its pandemic vulnerability: expert

The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) will diminish its global influence and leave it more vulnerable to pandemics, warned a U.S. expert on public health.

On his first day back in the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the country from the WHO. The United Nations received the formal notice two days later.

Under the organization's charter, the withdrawal takes effect one year after the notice is given, which means the US has, procedurally, officially withdrawn from the WHO on Thursday (January 22, 2026).

"I think that this weakens America's influence in global politics, global policy, and global health," said Omer Awan, a U.S. expert on public health.

Awan emphasized that as the world's leading authority on public health, the WHO plays a central coordinating role in global health governance, and its role should be strengthened, not undermined.

"Global health is national policy and national security. It's a national security issue because the World Health Organization is critical for disease surveillance. Things like updating vaccine standards, sharing data, and without that, the United States is vulnerable. We're vulnerable to pandemics, we're vulnerable to infectious diseases that can surge here in America. When we pull out, when the United States pulls out, we're less prepared, we're literally less prepared for a pandemic, we have less access to critical data that can inform our public health policy. For these reasons, this is why we become more vulnerable to the threats of a future pandemic," he said.

He further cautioned that the U.S. withdrawal would not halt the WHO's operations, but would significantly reduce American influence in global health affairs.

"We will lose our influence significantly and many other countries will not view us as a global health power. Global health policy doesn't stop when the United States removes itself from the World Health Organization. Our influence stops when we remove ourselves from the World Health Organization," he added.

Withdrawal from WHO undermines US global influence, heightens its pandemic vulnerability: expert

Withdrawal from WHO undermines US global influence, heightens its pandemic vulnerability: expert

Withdrawal from WHO undermines US global influence, heightens its pandemic vulnerability: expert

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.

In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.

"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.

By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.

The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.

"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.

China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting