U.S. and Allies Advocate for Taiwan’s Participation in Crucial WHO Meeting
In a bold move, the United States and several key allies have come together to push for Taiwan’s inclusion in an upcoming critical meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite objections from China, the joint statement emphasizes the importance of Taiwan’s involvement in promoting global health cooperation.
The U.S. and its allies, including Britain, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Japan, have issued a powerful statement calling for Taiwan to be granted the opportunity to participate in the WHO meeting. This decision stems from the belief that Taiwan’s inclusion would best represent the WHO’s commitment to inclusive international health cooperation.
Taiwan has long been excluded from many international organizations due to China’s objections, as Beijing views the island as part of its territory. While Taiwan was able to attend the WHO’s World Health Assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016, China began blocking its participation in 2017 after President Tsai Ing-wen took office.
The joint statement highlights the unjustified nature of Taiwan’s exclusion from the global health community and stresses the importance of Taiwan’s involvement in the WHO meeting. Taiwan’s Health Minister and Foreign Minister have echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that health should not be politicized and that Taiwan’s sovereignty must be respected.
Despite China’s opposition and accusations of separatism, the U.S. and its allies stand firm in advocating for Taiwan’s participation. The WHO has noted that the decision on Taiwan’s involvement ultimately lies with member states, and that Taiwanese experts have a valuable role to play in WHO activities.
As tensions continue to rise between China and Taiwan, the international community remains divided on the issue. However, the push for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO meeting signifies a significant step towards promoting global health cooperation and solidarity.