China blocks Taiwan again from global health forums despite US, EU backing
Taipei, May 17
Taiwan has once again been excluded from the World Health Assembly, marking the 10th consecutive year that Taipei has been denied participation due to pressure from China, as reported by The Taipei Times.
According to The Taipei Times, the 79th WHA, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), is scheduled to take place in Geneva.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei did not receive an invitation to attend the event, blaming China's political pressure for the continued exclusion.
Taiwan has long argued that its absence from the WHA weakens global health cooperation, especially given its experience in disease prevention and public health management.
Despite the United States formally withdrawing from the WHO earlier this year, Washington reiterated its support for Taiwan's inclusion in international organisations.
A spokesperson for the US Department of State stated that Taiwan's knowledge and resources could contribute significantly to addressing major global challenges.
The US withdrawal from the WHO followed repeated criticism by President Donald Trump, who accused the organisation and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and being overly influenced by China.
Trump also alleged corruption within the WHO and argued that Washington was contributing disproportionately to the agency's funding.
The European Union also expressed support for Taiwan's participation in the WHA.
A spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) said that Taiwan should be allowed to participate in international mechanisms whenever organisational rules permit it.
The statement came after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun announced that Beijing had refused to approve Taiwan's participation in this year's assembly under its "one China" principle, as highlighted by The Taipei Times.
Responding to Beijing's stance, the EEAS clarified that China's interpretation of the "one China" principle lacks international consensus and is not formally adopted by the EU.
The bloc reaffirmed that, while it recognises the People's Republic of China as China's legal government, it continues to maintain close, cooperative ties with Taiwan across multiple sectors, as reported by The Taipei Times.
— ANI
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