Taipei: Taiwan has condemned China for its decision not to approve Taipei’s participation in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), citing Beijing’s view of Taiwan as part of its territory. Chang Chih-sha, deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MOFA) Department of International Organizations, reinforced Taiwan’s stance that it is an independent and sovereign nation. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is deemed to have no authority to represent Taiwan at the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, or other international organizations, Chang emphasized during a weekly briefing.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chang urged the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat to uphold neutrality and professionalism, instead of succumbing to political pressure from China, which has resulted in Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHA, WHO’s decision-making body. Taiwan, not being a UN member, requires a separate invitation to attend events organized by UN-affiliated bodies. However, the PRC frequently intervenes to prevent Taiwan’s participation, despite having never exercised jurisdiction over Taiwan since its inception in October 1949.
Chang’s remarks followed statements by PRC foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who announced that China had decided “not to approve the Taiwan area’s participation in this year’s WHA,” adhering to China’s “one-China” principle that considers Taiwan part of Chinese territory. Guo reiterated that China’s stance on Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations, including the WHO, must comply with this principle.
The 79th WHA is set to occur in Geneva from May 18 to 23, gathering WHO member states to establish global health policies. Earlier, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung noted that Taiwan had not received a WHA invitation for a decade due to Chinese pressure. Taiwan last attended the WHA in 2016 as an observer when relations with Beijing were more amicable. In response, Taiwan has organized events in Geneva to coincide with the WHA, including an exhibition showcasing its smart healthcare innovations and overseas medical aid programs, as reported by MOFA.