The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that it is working to secure an invitation for Taiwan to attend this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer, announcing the nation’s desire to contribute to the promotion of public health worldwide.
The ministry said in a statement that Taiwan will make every effort to solicit the support of allies and nations that share similar ideas in the hope that it will be invited to the assembly when it gathers in May.
Taiwan wants to “continue to attend [the meeting] in a pragmatic and meaningful way, and to make a contribution,” the ministry said.
The statement came in the wake of media reports saying Taiwan might not receive an invitation from the WHO to attend the assembly this year.
The assembly, the WHO’s decisionmaking body, gathers annually in Geneva, Switzerland, and is attended by representatives of the WHO’s 194 member states, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday quoted Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉), executive director of the Taipei-based Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance, as saying that it was unlikely Taiwan would attend the WHA this year.
“This has been a common understanding in the sector,” Lin reportedly said.
Lin blamed the development on “maneuvering by communist China,” which he said was also evident last year when the WHO cited the “one China” principle in its invitation to Taiwan.
WHA is to take place from May 22 to May 31, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that the WHO secretariat is to begin sending out invitations next month.
Taiwan had since 2009 been granted observer status at the gathering under the name “Chinese Taipei.”
However, last year, in an unprecedented move, the WHO cited UN Resolution 2758, Resolution WHA 25.1 and the “one China” principle as “reflected therein” in its invitation to Taiwan.
UN Resolution 2758, passed on Oct. 25, 1971, recognizes the representatives of the PRC government as “the only legitimate representatives of China,” expelling the representatives of the Republic of China from the UN.
Resolution WHA 25.1 expelled the Republic of China (ROC) from the WHO in 1972.
Last year’s invitation came shortly before President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was sworn in as president on May 20 last year.
Observers have said that Taiwan was allowed to attend last year’s WHA because Beijing was still observing what cross-strait policy the Tsai administration would adopt.
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