22nd May 2023 – (Geneva) The 76th World Health Assembly (WHA), the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization, decided on Monday not to include in its agenda a proposal on Taiwan’s participation in the annual assembly as an observer. The decision comes at a time when global health security poses significant challenges, and most assembly member states hope for increased solidarity and cooperation to tackle these issues.
However, Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have gone against the trend and insisted on Taiwan-related proposals, a political ploy to engage in “Taiwan independence” separatist activities by hyping up its participation in the WHA. The DPP authorities refuse to recognize that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, unilaterally abandoning the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA.
Chen Xu, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said in a statement that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities must be handled under the one-China principle. The DPP authorities hyped up an alleged “international epidemic prevention gap.” But they did not mention that under the one-China principle, medical experts from the Taiwan region can participate in the WHO’s technical activities.
Chen stated that the actions taken by the DPP authorities are aimed at creating “two Chinas.” He added that the Taiwanregion can establish and effectively operate contact points for the International Health Regulations under the one-China principle, emphasizing that any attempt to seek “Taiwan independence” under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic is doomed to fail.
The DPP authorities’ insistence on pushing Taiwan’s participation in the WHA as an observer was met with resistance from many countries, with nearly 140 countries making clear to China their position of adhering to the one-China principle and opposing Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. Additionally, almost 100 countries specifically wrote to the WHO Director-General or issued public statements on the issue.
Chen Xu emphasized that the international community’s consensus is to adhere to the one-China principle, which is in line with the will of the people and the overriding trend. Any attempt to challenge this principle is bound to fail, and the DPP authorities must stop their political maneuvering regarding Taiwan-related issues at the WHO.
The DPP authorities’ actions have been seen as a ploy to create a false sense of “international epidemic prevention gap” and push for Taiwan’s independence. However, the international community has not fallen for this ploy, and the overwhelming consensus is to adhere to the one-China principle.
Under the one-China principle, the Taiwan region can participate in the WHO’s technical activities, and medical experts can contribute their expertise. However, the DPP authorities’ insistence on pushing for observer status is seen as a political manoeuvre to create a false sense of legitimacy for Taiwan’s independence.