The United States, Japan, and nine diplomatic allies voiced support for Taiwan's inclusion in the World Health Assembly Tuesday, as the assembly's annual meeting entered its second day.
The World Health Assembly is the WHO's decision-making body. The assembly is currently holding its annual meeting, albeit virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taiwan had participated in the assembly's annual meetings as an observer. However, it has been excluded for the past several years due to Chinese pressure. This year has seen Taiwan excluded yet again.
The countries that spoke in favor of Taiwan's inclusion were the US, Japan, Belize, eSwatini, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Nauru, Guatemala, Palau, and the Marshall Islands.
Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Global Affairs Garrett Grigsby said that Taiwan has achieved great success in fighting COVID-19. He said that understanding how Taiwan has fought the pandemic will help WHO members. He said that not allowing Taiwan to participate in the assembly as an observer, however, will have the opposite effect.
Japan's representative also said that global efforts to combat the coronavirus should take into account regions that have seen success, such as Taiwan.
Representatives from eSwatini and Palau were cut off by assembly facilitators when they tried to voice their own support for Taiwan's participation. These representatives were told not to veer from the agenda to discuss issues like observer status.