President Ma Ying-jeou says that the issue of Taiwan’s invitation to the 2016 World Health Assembly (WHA) is a sensitive one. That’s in an interview with the Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times out on Thursday.
During the interview, the outgoing president reflected on his time in office. He also responded to questions on ongoing issues such as Taiwan’s economic malaise and the dispute over Taiwanese nationals seized by China in Kenya.
But one area Ma said is “critically important” is Taiwan’s attendance at this year’s WHA. The assembly is scheduled to take place in Geneva on May 23, three days after the inauguration of President-elect Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan first participated in the WHA in 2009 as an observer, the year after Ma’s election. Ma’s party, the Kuomintang, is seen as supporting closer ties with Beijing. During the eight years of his presidency, a policy of rapprochement with Beijing based on the understanding that Taiwan and the Mainland are part of “One China”.
However, President-elect Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party are seen in Taiwan as being wary of Beijing. During the interview, Ma said that while most other WHA observers have received their invitations, Taiwan’s invitation has yet to arrive.
Ma said that his administration will continue to work to resolve this issue, though the current government will leave office on May 20. He said he has asked the incoming government to work on resolving the issue as well.
Ma said that Taiwan and China will have to develop a consensus in order to solve cross-strait problems.