The World Health Assembly has rejected the Taiwan regions' request to participate in the global platform as an observer on Monday, the fifth year that the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO) has denied a proposal initiated by the U.S and a handful of European Union countries.

The general committee's decision not to include the Taiwan region on the agenda was announced by Bhutan's Health Minister Dasho Dechen Wangmo, who serves as president of the weeklong assembly.

China's Permanent Representative to UN's Geneva office Chen Xu said the Chinese government has made proper arrangements for the island to take part in global health affairs on the premise of the one-China principle, adding that the central government had notified Taiwan about the epidemic 260 times and approved the participation of Taiwan health experts in WHO technical activities 16 times since the outbreak of COVID-19.

He urged related countries to stop politicizing health issues and using the Taiwan issue as an excuse to interfere with China's internal affairs.

Before the assembly, more than 150 countries had expressed their support for China's decision through diplomatic channels. Meanwhile, representatives of nearly 80 member states had sent letters to the WHO to express their adherence to the one-China principle and their opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA, said Chen, which once again proved that the one-China principle is the aspiration of the international community and the overriding trend.