Diplomatic allies Belize, Palau, and Tuvalu have joined the list of nations calling for Taiwan’s return to the annual World Health Assembly as an observer. The three countries all issued their calls during addresses to this year’s assembly on Wednesday.
The World Health Assembly is the WHO’s decision-making body. Taiwan had been an observer at the assembly between 2009 and 2016, but it has since been blocked from attending due to Chinese pressure.
Since this year’s assembly began on Monday, the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, Australia, and eleven of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies including Belize, Palau, and Tuvalu, have called for Taiwan’s return as an observer.
One ally notably absent from this list is the Central American country of Nicaragua, which did not mention Taiwan during its remarks before the assembly. However, this does not necessarily indicate a lack of support for Taiwan. Nicaragua also kept mention of Taiwan out of its 2019 address to the assembly, but high-ranking Nicaraguan officials later issued a statement thanking Taiwan for its medical assistance.