Following the WHO’s failure to invite Taiwan to the WHA, the Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has issued a statement expressing its strong disappointment and displeasure.
The president’s office called on the WHO to recognise the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of the global disease prevention system and that the 23 million people of Taiwan have an inalienable right to equal treatment in health. Citing support for Taiwan’s participation amongst foreign governments and international health organisations, the office stressed that health is a human right and disease prevention transcends national borders.
‘The WHO exists for the health and welfare of everyone worldwide; as a member of the international community, the people of Taiwan have the right to participate in international health-related events and activities, including those under the WHO,’ the office pointed out. ‘Given Taiwan's continued contributions to global health and disease prevention, Taiwan should not become a gap in the global disease prevention network.’ ‘Any measures to exclude or suppress Taiwan in the WHA contravene the founding principles of the WHO; they are also unfair to the people of Taiwan and have negative implications on global health and disease prevention.’
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) also released statements in response to Taiwan’s exclusion. MOFA stated ‘if the WHO bows to political pressure by denying Taiwan an invitation, it will not only be ignoring the Taiwanese people’s right to health, but also causing a severe breach in the world health system. MOFA calls on the WHO to seriously consider the requests for Taiwan’s inclusion made by many nations and international medical groups from every region in the world.
In the statement, the MAC also strongly protested against mainland China’s obstruction of Taiwan’s invitation to attend the WHA. It stated that as the WHO is a non-political organisation, Taiwan expressed deep dissatisfaction and strongly protested the violation of the WHO mission, for the organisation’s bowing to political pressure from China. It also stated the people of Taiwan have high expectations on participation in the WHA. If the WHO ultimately succumbs to Beijing's pressure, it will seriously injure the feelings of the people of Taiwan, and provoke a public backlash which could widen the divide in cross-Strait relations. In addition, the MAC appealed to mainland China to understand that public opinion in Taiwan cannot be insulted lightly and called on Beijing to carefully consider the serious consequences that could ensue from preventing Taiwan's participation in the WHA and continuing to suppress Taiwan's international space.
