China officially announced on Thursday, October 8, 2026, the candidacy of Song Li to head the World Health Organization (WHO), which is seeking a successor to the current director, Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Tedros, currently in office, is not eligible to run for a new term. To date, seven candidates have officially declared their candidacies. The final list of candidates will be published in November 2026.
The vote to elect the new WHO director is scheduled for May 2027.