Japan backs Taiwan’s bid to take part in UN global health forum
Taiwan failed to get invite to World Health Assembly in Geneva, amid pressure from Beijing to limit the island’s role in international organisations
Taiwan is rallying international support to challenge pressure from the mainland to exclude the island from a United Nations health meeting this month.
Soon after Taiwan’s health authorities acknowledged on Tuesday that Taipei failed to get the necessary invitation from the World Health Organisation to attend the World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 22-31, Japan said it would support the island taking part in the gathering.
“We feel Taiwan’s participation in the WHO in some form is desirable in order to strengthen [the world’s] response to dangers to public health,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo.
His comment came hours after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed her deep regret that there had been no invitation from the WHO before the online registration deadline earlier this week.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council also issued a statement protesting against the mainland for the WHA snub, saying the move would only harm cross-strait relations.