Taiwan rejects China’s main condition for WHO participation

Taipei, May 15

Taiwan’s well being minister rejected on Friday China’s important situation for the island to have the ability to participate within the World Health Organization (WHO) — that it accepts it’s a part of China — forward of a key assembly of the physique throughout a pandemic.

Non-WHO member Taiwan has lobbied to participate as an observer in subsequent week’s World Heath Assembly (WHA), drawing robust objections from Beijing, which considers Taiwan to be certainly one of its provinces.

Taiwan says the coronavirus pandemic has made it extra pressing than ever that or not it’s allowed correct entry to the WHO.

China says Taiwan can solely take part underneath the “one China” precept, by which it accepts it is part of China.

China’s Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party refused to do that, and so the political basis for Taiwan’s WHO participation had “ceased to exist”.

Speaking at a information convention in Taipei to press residence Taiwan’s want to participate, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung stated there was no means Taiwan would do that.

“I have no way to accept something which does not exist,” Chen stated, including that Taiwan wouldn’t surrender efforts to attend the well being meeting, despite the fact that it has not obtained an invite.

The subject has taken on broader diplomatic significance because of the robust assist from the United States and Japan particularly for Taiwan to attend the WHA, to China’s anger.

China says it has the appropriate to symbolize Taiwan on the worldwide stage. Taiwan says that solely its democratically elected authorities can converse for the island’s 23 million individuals.

“We can represent our own people,” Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Kelly Hsieh instructed the identical information convention in Taipei.

“We hope the WHO can set aside political considerations, and be neutral and professional.”

Taiwan attended the WHA as an observer from 2009-2016 when Taipei-Beijing relations have been hotter.

But China blocked additional participation after the election of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who China views as a separatist, an accusation she rejects.

The WHO says it has no mandate to ask Taiwan to the WHA and that solely member states can determine. — Reuters