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In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, Bill Gates says:
- China has made all data accessible
- China is no longer a source of spread of infection and finger pointing is not a constructive approach
- cutting contributions to WHO right now is difficult to understand
PARIS, April 30 (Xinhua) – Cooperation, rather than China’s hasty denunciation, is necessary at this time to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, US tech tycoon and philanthropist Bill Gates said in an interview published on Tuesday.
He said pointing the finger at China “is not constructive” and does not understand the reduction of the United States’ contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The Chinese have made all data accessible,” Gates said, while praising the country for its contribution to global research on the new coronavirus, as well as to avoid a disruption in the medical supply market.
China “is no longer a source of spread of the infection,” and pointing the finger is not a constructive approach, he added.
“Our economy is stagnant, the world is suffering, collaboration must be the priority.”
“We had no market disruptions during this pandemic of medical ingredients! China is currently the most reliable supplier of these ingredients compared to Western countries, which have not responded as quickly to the crisis,” he said.
On April 14, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that he would suspend funding from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Gates said reducing contributions to WHO at this time is difficult to understand, highlighting the strong link between the United States and the global health agency.
“If you look at the current composition of the WHO, you will see that the percentage of people who work at the WHO are or have been employed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States is very high. The good news is that the CDC has historically been a very effective organization that has played a major role in smallpox eradication and the effort against polio. So I don’t understand why reducing the US contribution to WHO is relevant today in the midst of a pandemic, “he said.
“The time will come to evaluate all of our responses. I am sure we will see that the WHO could have handled certain things differently. But the idea that it would have distorted reality for the benefit of a country is not correct,” Gates said. .
When asked about “the pitfalls of globalization and the risks of overdependence on China for certain strategic products like medicines,” Gates cautioned against “using the pandemic to promote xenophobic views.”
“The idea that any small town will start making their cars! … We need facts to have this discussion. What products have disappeared globally due to the crisis? At the Gates Foundation, we are focused on the pandemic and the collaboration, not in political ranting, “he added
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