The U.S. has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to invite Taiwan as an observer at the upcoming annual meeting in Geneva, scheduled for May 21 to 30.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks have sparked criticism from China, which views Taiwan as one of its provinces and has blocked its participation in the WHO’s annual assembly since 2017 as part of a broader campaign to isolate the island.
U.S. supporting an inclusive approach
Blinken emphasized that inviting Taiwan would demonstrate the WHO’s commitment to an inclusive, “health for all” approach to international health cooperation.
He added that U.S. support for Taiwan’s participation aligns with Washington’s one-China policy. Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed gratitude for the strong support from the United States, stating that the island’s exclusion would be “completely beyond reason” and harm global health cooperation.
Taiwan has been excluded from most global organizations due to Beijing’s objections, with the island arguing that this exclusion has hindered its efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Taiwan is permitted to attend some technical WHO meetings, its absence from the annual assembly has been a point of contention.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, claimed that the United States’ comments were confusing the public and urged the U.S. not to use the WHO assembly meeting to “hype up” Taiwan-related issues.
He emphasized that Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, including the WHO, must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle.
Wang further urged the United States to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques. He called on the U.S. to uphold commitments by its leaders not to support “Taiwan independence”.
The ongoing disagreement over Taiwan’s participation in the WHO conference highlights the delicate balance of U.S.-China relations, with both nations holding firm positions on the matter.
The U.S. push for Taiwan’s observer status at the WHO annual meeting is set to intensify tensions between Washington and Beijing, as the two superpowers continue to navigate their complex relationship.
The outcome of this situation will have significant implications for not only the future of Taiwan’s involvement in global organizations but also for the broader U.S.-China dynamic in the coming months.
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Source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/us-demands-to-have-taiwan-in-who-conference/