ArticleGlobalization and health2026
China's global health diplomacy through the World Health Organization: a qualitative study.
Article in Globalization and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundGlobal health governance faces fragmentation following COVID-19 and the 2025 U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), elevating China’s prominence within the organization. Existing literature has not yet comprehensively examined the China-WHO relationship in the post-COVID-19 period. This study addresses this gap by providing timely qualitative insights from high-level experts.
resultsUsing a qualitative descriptive approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 high-level experts in global health governance with substantial WHO experience. Five key themes emerged: balancing sovereignty with multilateral cooperation, China’s evolving role within WHO, COVID-19 as a relationship downturn, Chinese contributions to the WHO’s mission, and U.S. withdrawal from the WHO as a cautious opportunity for China. The findings reveal China’s deliberate positioning within the WHO, emphasizing multilateralism rhetorically while engaging pragmatically through bilateral channels. While China remains reserved in making larger voluntary contributions, its strategic engagement through assessed contributions, technical expertise, personnel deployment, and bilateral health programs attest to its growing influence. Importantly, there is consensus that China does not seek explicit dominance within the WHO but aims to position itself more strategically within the evolving global health architecture.
conclusionsThe study reveals that while the U.S. withdrawal creates a leadership vacuum, China does not seek to dominate the WHO but rather to enhance its strategic position through pragmatic engagement. Findings underscore the urgent need for WHO reforms in governance, representation, and financing, alongside enhanced transparency and mutual trust between China and the organization. This critical juncture offers an opportunity to recalibrate the China-WHO relationship in ways that strengthen global health preparedness, contingent on balancing sovereignty concerns with expectations for multilateral cooperation. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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