The United States and seven other allied countries issued a joint statement on Friday, urging Taiwan to be allowed to participate in the World Health Organization (WHO) crucial meeting later this month.
Due to the opposition from the Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan has been excluded from most international organizations. The CCP claims this democratic island as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to control Taiwan.
From 2009 to 2016, during the presidency of Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan was invited as an observer to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) hosted by the WHO and signed trade and tourism agreements with Beijing.
However, after the election victory of former President Tsai Ing-wen, the CCP began to strongly obstruct Taiwan’s international participation, as Tsai’s administration refused to agree with Beijing on the “One China” principle for both mainland China and Taiwan.
On Friday, the American Institute in Taiwan (effectively the U.S. embassy in Taiwan) together with the representative offices in Taiwan from Australia, the UK, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, and Lithuania issued a joint statement. The statement expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in WHO affairs and attendance as an observer at the World Health Assembly.
This year’s 77th World Health Assembly is set to convene in Geneva, but Taiwan still faces significant exclusion from the global international public health system, the statement said. “The WHO has always upheld the spirit of ‘Health for All’, dedicated to promoting international health cooperation. Inviting Taiwan to be an observer at this meeting is the best way for the WHO to embody this inclusive spirit.”
The countries emphasized, “Taiwan possesses excellent public health expertise, democratic governance experience, advanced technology, outstanding abilities, and methods that could bring valuable contributions to discussions at the World Health Assembly. There is no valid reason to exclude Taiwan from the most important health forum in the world, which contradicts the spirit of mutual participation and cooperation and undermines everyone’s security.”
The United States and its key allies have repeatedly called on the WHO to allow Taiwan to participate in the meeting, sparking anger from Beijing.
The Taiwan Affairs Office of the CCP stated this month that the “political basis for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly no longer exists” and attributed this to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. The Taiwan government opposes Beijing’s claims and asserts that the CCP has no authority to speak on Taiwan’s behalf on the international stage.
This week, Taiwan’s newly elected President, Lai Ching-te, officially took office. The CCP views him as a “separatist” and began military exercises near Taiwan lasting two days starting on Thursday to increase pressure on Taiwan.
The WHO has stated that Taiwan’s participation is subject to the decision of its member countries.