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Taiwan criticises WHO`s `indifference` after failing to get into key meeting
Taiwan`s government slammed the World Health Organization`s (WHO) `indifference` to the health rights of Taiwanese people after failing to get invited to a meeting of its decision-making body.
Highlights
- Taiwan, with the strong backing of major Western powers, had been lobbying for access to the WHO`s World Health Assembly, which opens on Monday (May 24), as an observer.
Taipei: Taiwan`s government slammed the World Health Organization`s (WHO) "indifference" to the health rights of Taiwanese people and for capitulating to China on Monday (May 24) after failing to get invited to a meeting of its decision-making body.
Taiwan is excluded from most global organisations such as the WHO because of the objections of China, which considers the island one of its provinces, not a country.
Taiwan, with the strong backing of major Western powers, had been lobbying for access to the WHO`s World Health Assembly, which opens on Monday (May 24), as an observer.
In a joint statement by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, Taiwan`s government said that they would continue to seek participation.
"As a professional international health body, the World Health Organization (WHO) should serve the health and welfare of all humanity and not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member," Chen said, referring to China.
Wu expressed regret at the "WHO Secretariat`s continued indifference to the health rights of Taiwan`s 23.5 million people".
China says Taiwan can only take part if it accepts it is part of "one China", which Taipei`s government will not do, and that only Beijing has a right to speak for Taiwan on the international stage and Taiwan has in any case been given the access it needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taiwan`s statement said China was falsely claiming that appropriate arrangements have been made for Taiwan`s WHO participation, adding that only the island`s democratically elected government can speak for its people.
Taiwan urges the WHO to "maintain a professional and neutral stance, reject China`s political interference, and allow Taiwan to join WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities in order to protect the welfare of humanity and jointly combat disease".
While the WHO cooperates with Taiwan`s technical experts on COVID-19, it is up to member states whether to invite Taiwan to observe the WHO meeting, the WHO`s principal legal officer Steve Solomon said last week.