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On 18 May, the General Committee and the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) respectively decided to reject the so-called proposal of “inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer” submitted by certain countries. This has been the 10th year in a row that the WHA has rejected the so-called proposal concerning Taiwan.
China’s position on the Taiwan region’s participation in the activities of international organisations, including the WHO, is consistent and clear. That is, it must be handled in line with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle, as demonstrated by UNGA Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. China’s Taiwan region, unless given approval by the central government, has no basis, reason, or right to participate in the WHA. Due to the DPP authorities’ persistent separatist stance, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA no longer exists.
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The Chinese central government attaches great importance to the health and wellbeing of our compatriots in Taiwan. On the prerequisite that the one-China principle is upheld, the Chinese central government has made proper arrangements for the Taiwan region’s participation in global health affairs, and the Taiwan region’s medical and health experts can participate in WHO technical meetings. Over the past year alone, the central government has approved the applications of 18 medical and health experts from the Taiwan region to participate in WHO technical activities, covering various topics, including immunisation strategy, vaccine development, mental health, and digital health. Under the framework of the International Health Regulations, the Taiwan region has unimpeded and full-fledged information-exchange mechanisms with the WHO and countries around the world, and it can promptly access and report to the WHO information related to health emergencies. The two sides across the Taiwan Strait also have an unimpeded information-sharing mechanism for infectious disease outbreaks and have held events such as the Hospital CEO Forum. These efforts fully demonstrate that the Chinese central government has every sincerity in addressing the health issues that our compatriots in Taiwan care about, that the Taiwan region has sufficient and unimpeded channels to participate in the WHO’s communication and cooperation in the technical domain, and that the rights of the people in Taiwan regarding health are duly protected. Compared with the political manipulation of a handful of countries trumpeting Taiwan’s participation in the WHA, the central government’s proper arrangements and concrete actions demonstrate real meaning for the livelihood and wellbeing of our compatriots in Taiwan. The so-called “gap” in global anti-epidemic efforts is nothing but a politically driven lie.
The DPP authorities and certain countries have been blatantly turning back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 in order to challenge the one-China principle. They are essentially trying to challenge not only China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice and the prevailing consensus. China’s decision not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA has wide support and understanding from the international community. The overwhelming majority of countries in the international community have reaffirmed to the Chinese side that they uphold UNGA Resolution 2758, firmly support the one-China principle, and oppose Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. They expressed their support for China’s position through various means, such as writing to the WHO Director-General. It shows that commitment to the one-China principle is where global opinion trends, where the arc of history bends, and what the greater national interest entails. The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is not to be challenged or shaken. No matter what the DPP authorities say or do, it does not change the fact that the two sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China and that Taiwan is part of China, nor can it stop the trend towards China’s ultimate and inevitable reunification. “Taiwan independence” leads nowhere, and provocations in pursuit of it are doomed to failure.
