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Taiwan thanks Blinken for again supporting WHA bid

ROC Central News Agency

05/10/2023 11:43 AM

Taipei, May 10 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expressed its gratitude Wednesday for a statement released by United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken supporting Taiwan's bid to take part in the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month.

It was the third consecutive year that the U.S.' top diplomat has issued a statement backing Taiwan's bid to participate in the World Health Organization's (WHO) decision-making body, which Taiwan welcomed and was grateful for, MOFA said in a statement.

Taiwan will continue to work closely with the U.S. and other like-minded countries to contribute to global pandemic control and public health affairs, MOFA said.

The MOFA statement came in response to a statement issued by Blinken on Tuesday in which he said the U.S. strongly encourages the WHO to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer at this year's WHA meeting "so it may lend its expertise to the discussions."

"Inviting Taiwan as an observer would exemplify the WHO's commitment to an inclusive, 'health for all' approach to international health cooperation," Blinken was quoted as saying in the statement.

He praised Taiwan as a "highly capable, engaged, and responsible member of the global health community and has been invited to participate as an observer in previous WHA meetings."

"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."

He criticized Taiwan's isolation from the WHA as being "unjustified and undermines inclusive global public health cooperation and security, which the world demands."

Similar appeals by the U.S. and other countries have fallen on deaf ears in the past, as the People's Republic of China (PRC) has successfully blocked Taiwan's participation from the meeting since 2017.

This year the WHA will hold its annual meeting from May 21-30 in Geneva to discuss global public health priorities.

Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China, was expelled from the WHO in 1972 after losing its seat to the People's Republic of China in the United Nations due to the issue of "China's representation."

Since then, Taiwan has not been able to attend the WHA due to objections by China, except from 2009 to 2016, when cross-Taiwan Strait relations were warmer under the then Kuomintang government.

Meanwhile, asked to comment on the possibility of Taiwan being invited to this year's WHA, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said in Taipei that the ministry is still working on it while thanking the U.S. for its long-term support on the issue.

Aside from the U.S., Wu said on the sideline of a legislative session that a growing number of other "like-minded countries" are joining the effort, and he expected support for Taiwan at the WHA to reach its highest level in recent years.

(By Joseph Yeh)

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