According to informational agencies, the speech Donald Trump held at the UN General Assembly looked more like an address to the voters. He strongly criticized Beijing, the WHO and mentioned several times the “Chinese virus”.
UN Secretary General António Guterres warned against unleashing a
"new cold war", referring to growing tensions between the USA and China. "We are moving in a very dangerous direction. Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies are leading to a great split, each following its own trade and financial rules and using the power of the Internet and artificial intelligence," Guterres explained on Tuesday, September 22, opening the 75th session of the UN General Assembly.
He also criticized the nationalist approach to dealing with the pandemic, although he did not name those responsible for. "Populism and nationalism have failed. These approaches to containing the virus have often clearly worsened the situation," the UN secretary general added.
Trump strongly criticized China
After Guterres' address,
the USA President Donald Trump’s pre-recorded speech presenting strong criticism at China, got played. In his speech that AFP estimated was more like talking to voters during the election campaign, the head of the White House referred to the
"Chinese virus" several times. "We must hold accountable countries that released this plague into the world and namely China," he said, and while blaming the World Health Organization (WHO) he accused of "falsely claiming that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission."
Separately, the US President touched upon the problem of climate change. "Those who attack America's exceptional environmental performance while ignoring China's extreme pollution are not interested in (protecting. - Ed.) the environment. They only want to punish America. And I will not tolerate that." Trump added.
Putin recorded his address
High-level week at the UN is held in a virtual format. There is one representative from each country in the hall. The leaders of states and ministers of the General Assembly proposed to record video statements, they are shown in the hall during the session.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the General Assembly with a message for the fifth time. He spoke on September 22, in the morning session after the leaders of Brazil, the USA, Turkey, China, Chile and Cuba. Putin's address was recorded on September 18.