Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has called on the Hong Kong government to uphold press freedom in the territory. The Mainland Affairs Council is the top governmental body charting Taiwan's cross-strait policy in the absence of official ties with Beijing.
The council’s call came Friday following a Radio Television Hong Kong interview with WHO Assistant Director-General Bruce Aylward. In the interview, a journalist asked whether the WHO is considering admitting Taiwan.
The Hong Kong government says that the interview violated its One China Policy.
In a written response, the Mainland Affairs Council said that the Hong Kong government should not oppress freedom of speech or freedom of the press as China has. It says that only upholding these liberties will allow the Hong Kong government to gain the trust of its people.
The Mainland Affairs Council said that Taiwan is a free and democratic country that is able and willing to help the global community fight the COVID-19 pandemic. It said that Taiwan’s response to the pandemic has earned global recognition, and that Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO should not be an issue.
The council said that China’s invocation of its “One China Policy” is aimed at barring Taiwan from membership and at politicizing the country’s inclusion in the WHO.