Concerns mount over U.N. bodies led by Chinese officials
NEW YORK/GENEVA — The United States and Japan, among other countries, are increasingly concerned about top posts of several specialized bodies of the United Nations being filled by Chinese officials, who, some argue, tend to treat neutrality lightly and prioritize China’s national interests.
Four out of 15 U.N. specialized agencies are headed by Chinese nationals.
At the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which oversees cooperation among countries in the telecommunications field, Secretary General Zhao Houlin has stated the need to strengthen cooperation between the ITU and Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, a scheme to create a mega economic zone led by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Xi administration is trying to unilaterally change the world order led by the United States under the guise of multilateralism. Winning top posts of U.N. bodies is also part of the strategy. Under such circumstances, the Trump administration’s “America First” policy will serve as a tailwind for China.
Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, pointed out that what is clear from the ICAO and ITU is that Chinese officials in senior positions promote China’s national interests.
The recent outbreak of the new coronavirus has exposed China’s influence over U.N. organizations.
World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus provoked controversy with his effusive praise for China’s handling of the situation when the infection was spreading. Some argue that these remarks may have been influenced by the fact that Tedros served as a foreign minister of Ethiopia, a country that depends on Beijing for economic assistance.
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