Taiwan’s foreign ministry says it feels dissatisfied and regretful that Taiwan has not been invited to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer. The WHA is the World Health Organization’s governing body. It is scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday.
Taiwan took part in WHA meetings in the past as an observer. But it has been excluded since 2017 due to pressure from China.
Restoring Taiwan’s WHA observer status has received support from many countries, organizations, and prominent individuals. Taiwan’s 13 diplomatic allies, foreign ministers from G7 countries, and many European Union lawmakers support the move. US President Joe Biden signed a bill tasking his secretary of state with creating a plan to restore Taiwan’s WHA observer status earlier in May.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou says Taiwan’s government feels dissatisfied and regretful that the World Health Organization keeps ignoring calls for Taiwan’s inclusion.
Ou says Taiwan is still planning to send a delegation from the health ministry to share Taiwan’s COVID-19 experience with WHA participants on the sidelines of the event.