US urges WHO to invite Taiwan to annual meeting, a move opposed by China
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken says there is ‘no reasonable justification’ for the island’s exclusion from the World Health Assembly later this month
- Taiwan offers ‘valuable contributions and lessons’ from its response to global health issues, the top US diplomat adds
The US government on Friday called for Taiwan to be invited as an observer to the upcoming meeting of the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, a move China has opposed.
“There is no reasonable justification for Taiwan’s continued exclusion from this forum,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, referring to the World Health Assembly that is expected to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation to end the coronavirus pandemic in its meeting starting May 24.
“The United States calls upon the WHO director general to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer at the WHA – as it has in previous years, prior to objections registered by the government of the People’s Republic of China,” he added.
The Republic of China, the official name of Taiwan, was a founding member of the WHA, but it was replaced in 1971 by the People’s Republic of China – mainland China – which took its seat in the United Nations and all subordinate organisations.
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