Taiwan says WHO ignoring requests for observer status at assembly

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan expressed “dissatisfaction and remorse” over the World Well being Group’s failure to ask it to attend an upcoming annual meeting in Geneva, amid diplomatic stress from China to isolate the island.

The WHO had ignored Taiwan’s repeated requests to be allowed to attend the World Well being Meeting (WHA), scheduled for Might 22-28, as an observer, the international ministry mentioned in an announcement.

Taiwan is excluded from most international teams as a result of Beijing’s objections. China insists that Taiwan shouldn’t be handled as an unbiased nation because it considers the island to be one in every of its personal provinces.

Taiwan has complained that its exclusion from the WHO has hampered efforts to struggle the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The WHO failed to remain impartial {and professional}, repeatedly ignoring the need and urgency for Taiwan’s participation within the WHO and WHA,” the ministry’s assertion mentioned.

Earlier this week a WHO official mentioned a call over whether or not Taiwan could be granted observer standing was probably by Monday, after the company obtained a proposal from 13 member states supporting Taiwan’s request to attend.

Taiwan will ship a delegation to Geneva to foyer for observer standing on the meeting, and to fulfill with counterparts from different international locations on the sidelines of the discussion board.

Reuters couldn’t instantly attain the WHO for a response to the ministry’ assertion.

China blocked Taiwan’s participation after the election in 2016 of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who China views as a separatist – a cost she rejects. Taiwan had been allowed to attend the meeting from 2009 to 2016, throughout a interval of hotter relations between Beijing and Taipei.

The U.S. State Division mentioned on Tuesday that Taiwan ought to be allowed to attend the assembly, saying the democratically ruled island’s exclusion at China’s behest was unwarranted and a priority for international well being.

Taiwan rejects China’s declare of sovereignty and says solely its individuals can resolve the island’s future.

(Reporting By Yimou Lee; further reporting by Emma Farge; Modifying by Simon Cameron-Moore)