“Due to political considerations, the WHO has continued to exclude Taiwan. This undermines the WHO’s efforts to create a more comprehensive global health architecture,” Taiwan’s semi-official Central News Agency quoted new Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan as saying in Geneva.
Chiu said the WHO should align its actions with this year’s assembly theme of “All for Health, Health for All”.
On Tuesday, Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed its regret and dissatisfaction at the decision, saying Beijing did not have the right to claim representation for Taipei at the WHA.
“[We] solemnly reiterate that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other,” the ministry said, echoing statements made by Lai at his inauguration that Beijing saw as supportive of independence.
Taiwan has been excluded from the meeting every year since 2017, mainly because of objections from Beijing, which sees the island as its territory that must be brought under its control, by force if necessary.
Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to arm Taiwan.
Taiwan attended the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016 during the administration of then-leader Ma Ying-jeou, who pursued a policy of engagement with Beijing.
However, Beijing began obstructing the island’s participation in 2017, following the election of Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. Tsai’s refusal to adhere to the one-China principle led to Beijing’s blockade of Taiwan’s involvement in the WHA and suspension of official cross-strait exchanges.
James Yifan Chen, a professor of diplomacy and international relations at Tamkang University in New Taipei, suggested that Taiwan’s participation in the WHA appeared increasingly unlikely following Lai’s “tough” stance towards Beijing in his speech on May 20.
During the speech, Lai said that “neither the ROC nor the PRC are subordinate to each other”.
“Although Lai’s narratives fitted into the conventional wisdom in Taiwan, the nuances within his speech could not fool mainland China,” Chen said, adding that this was why the People’s Liberation Army conducted two days of military exercises around the island last week.
03:03
Furious mainland China slams Taiwanese leader’s ‘blatant’ call for independence
Furious mainland China slams Taiwanese leader’s ‘blatant’ call for independence
He said Beijing’s position and the state of cross-strait relations would determine Taiwan’s prospects of joining other major or UN-related organisations during Lai’s term over the next four years.
“Even though the US, Japan, and some European countries have spoken out for Taiwan’s ‘meaning participation’ in UN-related organisations, without China’s support, it seems very difficult for Taiwan to get the admission tickets,” he said.
This was particularly challenging given the US’ consistent opposition to Beijing’s interpretation and application of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 in recent years, which asserts that the mainland represents Taiwan in the UN, Chen said.
“Now, it’s an issue not only for Taiwan but also in terms of US-China competition,” Chen said.
He also said there was also a big risk that Taiwan could lose more diplomatic allies, as Beijing intensified efforts to isolate Taipei on the international stage.
