Taiwan Calls China ‘Vile’ for Limiting WHO Access During Virus Outbreak

People wearing protective masks pray beside their clothes laid out on a table, at a Taoist Baoan temple in Taipei on Feb. 4, 2020. Taiwan has uncovered 10 cases of the new coronavirus so far, including two female Chinese nationals in their 70s who arrived in the country as part of a tour group. Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images

TAIPEI—Taiwan dramatically escalated its war of words with Beijing on Feb. 4 over the island’s exclusion from the World Health Organization, saying “vile” China was preventing Taiwan from getting timely information about the coronavirus outbreak.

Taiwan is not a WHO member because of China’s objections. Beijing claims the island is a wayward Chinese province and is thus adequately represented in the organization by China.