US State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday reiterated that the US has always supported Taiwan’s inclusion in the World Health Assembly (WHA). That comes after Taiwan’s foreign minister said Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to the upcoming WHA meeting in Geneva in May.
Price says that Taiwan should be allowed meaningful participation in international organizations.
Taiwan and the US had met in March to discuss Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHA. Earlier this month, US Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon also spoke with the WHO director general, calling for the WHA to allow Taiwan observer status.
Faced with shows of support for Taiwan from the United States, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said that the World Health Organization is a UN organization. It says only sovereign nations are allowed to be members. The office says Taiwan is a part of China so it has no right to join as a separate entity.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Thursday said that to promote Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, Taiwan will continue to work with the US and like-minded countries. Wu also says Taiwan has regularly held dialogues with the US to find the best way for Taiwan to take part in the WHA meeting.