Beijing tipped to ramp up international pressure on Taipei amid Tsai’s silence on cross-strait consensus
Taipei says reference to ‘one China’ principle in World Health Assembly invitation unnecessary
Beijing will continue to squeeze Taipei’s involvement in international bodies and press for its interpretation of “one China” as long as incoming Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen does not acknowledge the “1992 consensus”, lawmakers and analysts from the island have warned.
The assessment came after a senior mainland official stressed that Taiwan’s observer status at the upcoming annual World Health Assembly organised by the World Health Organisation was based on the one-China principle.
Under the 1992 consensus, both sides agree there is only “one China”, but each side would have its own interpretation of what constitutes “China”.
Taipei finally received an invitation last week from the WHO Secretariat to attend the assembly. The letter stated that Taiwan’s observer status at the gathering was in line with UN General Assembly Resolution No 2758 and Resolution WHA 25.1, which refers to the “one China” principle.
The resolutions were not mentioned in other WHA invitations to the island since 2008, when mainland-friendly Ma Ying-jeou became president. Tsai, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is due to take over the top job on May 20.
Taipei said the reference to the resolutions was not necessary and did not relate to Taiwan’s involvement in the assembly.
“Our participation does not mean that we accept the position of the secretary general of the World Health Organisation,” cabinet spokesman-designate Tung Chen-yuan said late Sunday.