World Health Assembly rejects Taiwan-related proposal for tenth consecutive year

The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) decided on Monday not to include in its agenda a proposal by certain countries on Taiwan's participation as an observer. 

This marks the tenth consecutive year that the WHA, the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), has rejected Taiwan-related proposals.

In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that China's position on the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations, including the WHO, is consistent and clear. "That is, it must be handled in line with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle as demonstrated by the UNGA Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1."

China's Taiwan region, unless given approval by the central government, has no basis, reason or right to participate in the WHA, the spokesperson said.

Due to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' persistent separatist stance, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA no longer exists, said the spokesperson.

Chinese central government values Taiwan compatriots' well-being

Noting that the Chinese central government attaches great importance to the health and well-being of compatriots in Taiwan, the spokesperson said under the prerequisite that the one-China principle is upheld, the Chinese central government has made proper arrangement for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs, and the Taiwan region's medical and health experts can participate in WHO technical meetings.

Over the past year alone, the central government has approved the applications of 18 medical and health experts from the Taiwan region to participate in WHO technical activities, covering various topics including immunization strategy, vaccine development, mental health and digital health, the spokesperson said.

Under the framework of the International Health Regulations, the Taiwan region has unimpeded and full-fledged information exchange mechanisms with the WHO and countries in the world, and it can promptly access and report to the WHO concerning information related to health emergencies, the spokesperson added.

The two sides across the Taiwan Strait also have unimpeded information-sharing mechanism for infectious disease outbreaks and have held events such as the Hospital CEO Forum, according to the spokesperson.

These efforts fully demonstrate that the Chinese central government has every sincerity to address the health issues that compatriots in Taiwan care about, that the Taiwan region has sufficient and unimpeded channels to participate in the WHO's communication and cooperation in the technical domain, and that the rights of the people in Taiwan regarding health are duly protected, said the spokesperson.

Compared with a handful of countries' political manipulation that trumpets Taiwan's participation in the WHA, the central government's proper arrangement and concrete actions demonstrate real meaning for the livelihood and well-being of compatriots in Taiwan, said the spokesperson. "The so-called 'gap' in global anti-epidemic efforts is nothing but a politically-driven lie."

China's decision has wide support

The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry also said the DPP authorities and certain countries have been blatantly turning back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 in an attempt to challenge the one-China principle.

They are essentially trying to challenge not only China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice and prevailing consensus, said the spokesperson.

"China's decision of not approving the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA has wide support and understanding from the international community," the spokesperson added.

The overwhelming majority of countries in the international community have reaffirmed to the Chinese side that they uphold UNGA Resolution 2758, firmly support the one-China principle, and oppose Taiwan's participation in the WHA, according to the spokesperson.

They expressed their support for China's position through various means, such as writing to the WHO Director-General, said the spokesperson. "It shows that commitment to the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and what the greater national interests entail."

The spokesperson stressed that the international community's commitment to the one-China principle is not to be challenged or shaken. "No matter what the DPP authorities say or do, it does not change the fact that the two sides of the strait belong to one and the same China and Taiwan is part of China, nor can it stop the trend towards China's ultimate and inevitable reunification."

"Taiwan independence" leads nowhere and provocations for that are doomed to failure, the spokesperson said.