The United States and China reportedly clashed at the annual World Health Assembly on Monday. The summit, which focused on charting a plan to combat the pandemic worldwide, turned into a battleground amid growing tensions and diplomatic battle between the two countries. 

According to reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the event by announcing a $2 billion extra funding for the pandemic response. The budget would go towards dispatching more doctors and medical supplies to Africa and other nations across the globe. 

The contribution, which amounts to twice than how much the U.S. had been giving the federal health agency, would be spent over two years. The funding could help place China at the forefront of international efforts to combat the deadly virus. 

American officials claim the contribution is an attempt by the Chinese government to stall scrutiny and investigation of the allegations claiming they hid crucial information about the new coronavirus and its outbreak to the rest of the world. 

U.S. authorities denounced the aid and claimed it was an attempt to influence and distract the organization from addressing calls from multiple nations to hold the Chinese government accountable for the outbreak. 

Ryan Hass, a China scholar at the Brookings Institution, claimed Xi always steps forward when the U.S. withdraws from international leadership. "Xi has been ruthlessly opportunistic about seeking to exploit America's withdrawal from global leadership for China's advantage," Hass said. 

U.S. President Donald Trump responded less than a day later, where he gave the World Health Organization a month to commit to improvements. Failure to do so would result in the U.S. permanently stopping its funding to the public health agency. He also accused the health agency of heavily depending on China. The four-page letter ends with Trump saying the U.S. would continue supporting W.H.O. if it "actually demonstrate independence from China."

Leaders from other nations criticized the lack of unity in fighting the global health crisis during their remarks. They did not name countries, but encouraged all nations to "set aside their differences."

During the summit, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's Director-General, acknowledged the criticism the organization had been receiving over its handling of the early weeks of the outbreak. He, along with 144 countries, agreed on initiating an independent review of the agency's COVID-19 response "at the appropriate moment."

Dr. Tedros urged countries to continue funding the agency and do everything it takes to ensure there would not be a repeat of the 2020 pandemic. He claims the world needs a sustained commitment to using the tools and resources available to keep the people safe from the epidemic. 

The agency's chief did not address Trump's insistence on investigating allegations that the COVID-19 virus originated in a research facility in China. 

The Chinese government contributed $86 million to the international health agency in 2018 and 2019, while the United States gave over $893 million in contribution within the two years.

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