Covid-19: Taiwan says WHO has ‘forgotten’ neutrality by barring island

The World Health Organization (WHO) has “forgotten” its professionalism and neutrality in locking Taiwan out of the physique for political causes, Taiwan Vice President Chen Chien-jen stated on Thursday.

Taiwan says China and the WHO have conspired for political functions to maintain it out of key conferences, that the WHO has not responded to requests for coronavirus info and has misreported the variety of its infections.

The WHO and China have strongly dispute the accusations, saying Taiwan has been given all the assistance it wanted, however that solely China, which claims democratic Taiwan as one in every of its provinces, has the correct to totally characterize it within the WHO.

Chen, a U.S.-trained epidemiologist, stated the WHO had been placing politics above well being.

“Unfortunately, because of political reasons, Taiwan’s 23 million people have become orphans in the global health system,” he instructed reporters on the presidential workplace in Taipei.

“The WHO pays too much attention to politics and has forgotten their professionalism and neutrality. This is quite regrettable.”

While the WHO has accomplished good work and contributed to world well being up to now, its report on the virus has not been pretty much as good, Chen added.

“On the Wuhan pneumonia, we mostly criticise them for acting too slowly,” he stated, referring to the central Chinese metropolis the place the virus first emerged late final 12 months, earlier than spreading worldwide to contaminate 4.three million individuals and kill 295,000.

Chen, who was Taiwan’s well being minister through the 2002-2003 SARS disaster, stated the world wanted to be cautious with China’s virus numbers, and urged Beijing to be extra clear.

He wished China properly in its struggle, nevertheless.

“Here I give my blessings to them and hope that they can contain the Wuhan pneumonia as early as possible and avoid a second wave,” stated Chen, who leaves workplace when President Tsai Ing-wen is sworn in for her second time period subsequent week.

Taiwan has lobbied to attend subsequent week’s assembly of the WHO’s decision-making World Health Assembly as an observer, however China objects.

In Beijing, international ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated Taiwan’s foundation for participation within the WHO was broken by the refusal of its ruling Democratic Progressive Party to recognise that the island is a part of China.

There isn’t any authorized foundation for a “non-sovereign region” to take part as an observer, Zhao added.

The United States has repeatedly clashed with China over its refusal to permit Taiwan full entry to the physique, serving to to additional gasoline pressure between Washington and Beijing.

Taiwan’s tally of 440 virus infections and 7 deaths is much decrease than a lot of its neighbours, due to early and efficient prevention work and an environment friendly public well being system.