China Accuses Trump of 'Selfish, Responsibility-Shirking' Behavior, Says the World Is Watching America 'Unravel'

President Donald Trump faces tensions at home and abroad and a Chinese official is capitalizing on the unrest as an opportunity to criticize the United States' behavior as selfish and hypocritical.

As America deals with the coronavirus pandemic and the threat of reopening businesses too soon, protests erupted over the death of George Floyd, who was killed after an officer knelt on his neck. On Friday, Trump condemned demonstrators in Minneapolis as "thugs" before making an announcement in the afternoon that he terminated America's relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

"The whole world has watched as things unravel in the U.S.," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan said during a Monday press conference. "American politicians had better get their own house in order."

When asked about Trump severing ties with the United Nations agency, Zhao said the U.S. was "selfish, responsibility-shirking behavior" that undermines international efforts to fight COVID-19. Zhao added that the U.S. is a "habitual quitter," pointing to Trump's decision to pull out of UNESCO, the U.N. Human Rights Council, Paris Agreement, JCPOA, the INF Treaty and the Treaty on Open Skies.

"In the face of COVID-19, those attempts to attack or blackmail WHO are negligence of human life, a challenge to humanity and sabotage of international cooperation that will surely be rejected by the international community," Zhao said.

Trump, a vocal critic of the WHO's response to the new coronavirus outbreak, gave the organization an ultimatum: commit to reforming or go without U.S. funding. In announcing the end of the relationship, Trump said the WHO "failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms" and funds will be redirected to "other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs."

During that same press conference, Trump berated China for "breaking their word to the world on ensuring the autonomy of Hong Kong." Once passed, a recently approved national security law will expand China's influence over Hong Kong, an infringement on Hong Kong's status as an autonomous region. Without the autonomy necessary for special treatment, Trump instructed his administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions for Hong Kong.

The crackdown reignited demonstrations in Hong Kong that were reminiscent of the pro-democracy protests that took place in the summer of 2019. American officials threw their support behind Hong Kong protesters during the summer, as well as, during the current period of unrest.

Zhao drew a distinction between the rhetoric American officials used in reference to protesters abroad and at home. Whereas Hong Kong protesters were "heroes" and "fighters," Zhao pointed to Trump's comment that those in America were "thugs."

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Peaceful protests against Floyd's death turned violent in Minneapolis as people looted businesses, clashed with law enforcement and burned the 3rd precinct building of the Minneapolis Police Department. In an early-morning tweet on Friday, Trump said "these thugs" were dishonoring Floyd's memory, adding that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Facing pushback, Trump clarified that he didn't want "this to happen" but that his tweet was "spoken as a fact, not as a statement."

"This double-standard way of behaving is so typical of the U.S.," Zhao said.