US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned Taiwan’s exclusion from this year’s World Health Assembly.
The annual meeting of the WHO’s governing body is wrapping up Tuesday. Taiwan has been excluded for a fourth year due to pressure from Beijing.
On Monday, Pompeo said that WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has the right to invite Taiwan to the World Health Assembly. However, Pompeo said that the secretary-general had instead chosen not to do so because of Chinese pressure. Pompeo said that this decision has not only prevented the world from hearing Taiwan’s expertise in fighting disease, but also harmed the WHO’s credibility.