Taiwan has been excluded from the World Health Assembly for 10 consecutive years, and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said he plans to go to the venue in Switzerland.
The 79th World Health Assembly will be held on May 18 in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the first meeting without U.S. participation since the United States withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this year. Taiwan has not yet received an invitation and may be unable to participate for the 10th consecutive year.
On Monday, Lin Chia-lung said Taiwan has not received an invitation for the 10th consecutive year. "We should not passively wait; we must actively present ourselves." He pointed out that the spirit of the World Health Organization is "leaving no one behind," yet this is continuously being violated. This is not just a loss for Taiwan, but a greater loss for the world.
Chinese mainland Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine press conference on Monday that, in order to uphold the one-China principle and defend the solemnity and authority of relevant United Nations General Assembly and World Health Assembly resolutions, the mainland has decided not to consent to Taiwan's participation in this year's World Health Assembly. Any attempt to violate the one-China principle and play the "Taiwan card" for political manipulation is doomed to fail.
In response to Taiwan once again being excluded from the World Health Assembly, mainland Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said on Monday that this situation is entirely caused by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, who are engaging in political manipulation on the issue of Taiwan's participation in this year's World Health Assembly. This is another failed attempt at "seeking independence in the name of health," and once again proves that the pattern of the international community adhering to the one-China principle is unshakable.