Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Taiwan has the right and responsibility to take part in international organizations and believes the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should be amicable on the international stage and work together to benefit the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday.

Commenting on the possibility of Taiwan attending the World Health Assembly (WHA), MAC Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) reiterated that the government is doing its utmost to secure the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international community and looks forward to being invited to the annual event again this year.

Chiu urged Beijing to resolve its differences with Taipei through dialogue and avoid taking negative steps that could adversely impact the interests and well-being of people in Taiwan and China.

The WHO has invited Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer for the past eight years.

The Secretariat of the WHO usually sends invitations to the WHA in March, but Foreign Minister David Lee (李大維) said on Monday "it remains unclear" whether Taiwan will be able to attend this year's conference.

Taiwan received a late invitation to attend the WHA last year, shortly after the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang as the government of Taiwan.

In addition, that invitation contained an unexpected reference to United Nations Resolution No. 2758, passed on October 25, 1971, which recognizes the People's Republic of China as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" and expelled the representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

There are concerns that Beijing might try to block the WHO's invitation to Taiwan again this year.

(By Mou Tzung-han and Y.F. Low)
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