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US withdrawal from UNESCO not behavior of 'responsible country': Beijing

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 10:47 AM

Beijing has criticized the US withdrawal from UNESCO as inconsistent with a responsible world power's behavior, while reaffirming China's commitment to continuing support for the agency's mission.

Addressing a daily news briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun noted that UNESCO and many countries have expressed regret over Washington's decision.

"This is not the action that a responsible major country should take," Guo said, adding that "China has always firmly supported the work of UNESCO."

The United States said on Tuesday it would quit UNESCO, best known for establishing world heritage sites, claiming it was biased against Israel and promoted "divisive" causes.

"President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO, which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out of step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said.

Guo further told reporters that "This is already the third time that the US has withdrawn from UNESCO, and it has long been in arrears with its membership fees."

The US withdrew from UNESCO during Trump's first term but rejoined under former US President Joe Biden.

Trump's US withdrawal from UNESCO, which went into effect in late 2018, came seven years after the Obama administration suspended funding to UNESCO after Palestinians were admitted as a member, claiming that the agency promoted "anti-Israeli policy."

The US had also withdrawn from UNESCO under the Reagan administration in 1984 because it viewed the agency as "mismanaged and corrupt." The US rejoined in 2003, before leaving again under Trump.

This latest withdrawal will take effect in December 2026.

"We call on all countries to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and take concrete actions to support the international system with the UN at its core," Guo added.

Washington has persistently tried to block and challenge cultural efforts by other UNESCO members based on its own worldview and self-serving interests. It has also used its influence to represent and defend the openly racist policies of the Israeli regime.

Since taking office, Trump has signaled plans to withdraw the US from key international institutions—the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement—while imposing aggressive trade tariffs on both allies and adversaries.