China Names Song Li as WHO Chief Candidate

China has nominated maternity health expert Song Li as its candidate to lead the World Health Organisation (WHO), in a move that could increase Beijing’s influence in the UN health agency following the United States’ withdrawal.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning announced the nomination on Thursday during a press briefing.

The move comes as the WHO continues to face scrutiny over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and questions about China’s transparency regarding the origins of the virus.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the WHO of being overly influenced by China, particularly during the pandemic. His administration withdrew the United States from the organisation after Trump returned to office in January 2025.

The first COVID-19 cases were identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Trump’s administration has backed the theory that the virus may have leaked from a virology laboratory in the city.

The pandemic is estimated to have caused about 20 million deaths globally, according to the WHO, while disrupting economies, overwhelming health systems and severely affecting communities worldwide.

Investigations into the origins of COVID-19 have not reached a definitive conclusion, with the WHO maintaining that multiple possibilities remain under consideration.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also called on China to provide early viral sequences that could assist investigations into how the virus emerged.

Tedros is due to complete his second five-year term, the maximum permitted under WHO rules, in August 2027.

The leadership vacancy gives Beijing an opportunity to strengthen its position within the organisation, particularly after the US withdrawal left China as the largest contributor to the WHO’s membership fees, ahead of Japan and Germany.

However, membership fees are not the organisation’s largest overall source of funding, with voluntary contributions accounting for most of its financing. China was also not the biggest overall contributor during the WHO’s 2024-2025 biennium.

The organisation has faced growing financial pressure following the US withdrawal and reductions in foreign aid by several countries.

The WHO implemented major reforms last year, cutting its budget by more than 20 percent, reducing staff numbers and scaling back several programmes.

Tedros has said the organisation has completed its reprioritisation process and is now operating on a more stable financial footing.

The WHO identifies Song as head of the Department of Women and Child Health at China’s National Health Commission, with 21 years of professional experience.

Chinese media, however, have reported that she later moved to the All-China Women’s Federation, an organisation affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, where she is listed as secretary.

Mao said China’s nomination reflected its commitment to multilateralism and would support efforts to strengthen the WHO’s role in improving global health and wellbeing.

China’s announcement came after the September 24 deadline for countries to nominate candidates for the position.

The WHO is expected to publish the complete list of candidates in early November, although countries can choose to have their nominees announced earlier on the organisation’s website.

In January, the WHO’s 34-member Executive Board will shortlist up to three candidates for consideration by the World Health Assembly.

The assembly, made up of WHO member states, is expected to elect the next director-general in May 2027.

Song is competing against nominees from Belgium, Botswana, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Spain.

The candidates include WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge and WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Hanan Balkhy.

If elected, Song would become only the second Chinese national to lead the WHO, following Margaret Chan, who served as director-general from 2007 to 2017.