Taiwan Shunned From World Health Assembly Amid China’s ‘Political Pressure’

A sign of the World Health Organization in Geneva on April 24, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

The World Health Assembly (WHA) has denied Taiwan’s request to join its annual meeting as an observer amid “political pressure” from China, a decision that Taiwan warns could pose a “serious threat” to global health.

The WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO annual meeting on global public health priorities began May 21 and runs through May 30.

The assembly decided on May 22 that it wouldn’t extend an invitation to Taiwan. China and Pakistan urged members to reject Taiwan’s inclusion, while Eswatini, the Marshall Islands, Belize, and Nauru spoke in Taiwan’s favor.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry denounced the WHA’s decision, stating that Taiwan’s inclusion in the meeting was a matter of global health, which “should not be subject to political interference from any single country.”

“To exclude Taiwan from the WHA because of political pressure from China is not only unfair and unjust but also poses a serious threat to global health,” the ministry stated.

The ministry refuted China’s assertions that Taiwan’s international participation is contingent on the consent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CCP views Taiwan as part of its territory and seeks to take it over, by force if necessary. China’s insistence that Taiwan isn’t a country means that the island is excluded from many international organizations.

But Taiwan stated that only its own democratically elected government “can represent its 23 million people in WHO and other international organizations and safeguard the right to health of the Taiwanese people.”

“China’s heavy-handed obstruction of Taiwan’s participation and contributions runs counter to the estimable goal of ‘Health for All’ enshrined in the WHO Constitution,” the Taiwan ministry added.

China’s foreign ministry welcomed the WHA’s decision, saying it showed that the one-China principle “cannot be challenged in any way.”

Taiwanese Journalists Also Barred

In a separate statement, Taiwan expressed dissatisfaction with the United Nations office in Geneva for denying Taiwanese journalists access to the WHA, which it said was a result of “heavy-handed pressure” from China.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated that the U.N. has long denied Taiwanese journalists access to its premises to cover U.N.-related meetings and called on the organization to rectify its “discriminatory treatment” of the Taiwanese media.

The WHA has excluded Taiwan since 2017 under diplomatic pressure from the regime in Beijing to isolate the self-ruling island.

The United States had previously urged the WHO to invite Taiwan as an observer, stressing its importance to “the WHO’s commitment to an inclusive, ‘health for all’ approach to international health cooperation.”

“Taiwan’s distinct capabilities and approaches—including its significant public health expertise, democratic governance, and advanced technology—bring considerable value that would inform the WHA’s deliberations,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 9.

Blinken described Taiwan as a “reliable partner, a vibrant democracy, and a force for good in the world.”

He said that the United States will keep calling for Taiwan’s return as an observer at the WHA and for its “meaningful and robust participation throughout the U.N. system and in international fora.”

Such support is in line with Washington’s one-China policy, Blinken said.

Meanwhile, all member states approved a record-high $6.8 billion WHA budget for 2024–25 on May 22, which includes a 20 percent hike in mandatory payments to the U.N. body.

Members preliminarily agreed to hike fees during the 2022 assembly. The increased funding is contingent on the WHO implementing reforms, such as a culture change to prevent sexual abuse and provide more transparency on how funds are utilized.

Eva Fu, Zachary Stieber, and Reuters contributed to this report.