U.S. senators urge WHO to support Taiwan's inclusion ahead of WHA

Washington, May 16 (CNA) Four United States senators across party lines wrote to the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this week, calling for its support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the organization and the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting.

In a letter addressed to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the senators urged him to make every effort to oppose prospective efforts to circumscribe Taiwan's engagement.

The senators were Democrats Ben Cardin, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chris Coons, along with Republicans Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Lindsey Graham.

"As our experience with the COVID pandemic has demonstrated, it is imperative that global health diplomacy channels remain open and inclusive of all jurisdictions so that we are best able to address challenges in the complex landscape of international health crises," they wrote.

Taiwan, which is not a member of the United Nations, did not receive an invitation to the WHA for an eighth consecutive time this year.

The Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, withdrew from the WHO in 1972 following a decision by the United Nations to expel the ROC and recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the only "legitimate representative of China."

Since then, Taiwan has been unable to attend the WHA even as an observer due to Chinese pressure, except from 2009 to 2016, when relations with China were warmer under Taiwan's then-Kuomintang (KMT) government and Beijing supported Taiwan's participation.

In the letter sent on May 15, the senators also criticized China's use of the U.N.'s General Assembly Resolution 2758 as a pretext to obstruct Taiwan's engagement with the international community.

According to the senators, it is crucial to clarify that the resolution addressed only the issue of China's representation in the U.N.

They also said the resolution did not determine Taiwan's status or explicitly prohibit Taiwan's participation in U.N. agencies and other international fora, including the WHO and the WHA.

Furthermore, they argued, the resolution does not restrict any state from maintaining or pursuing diplomatic relationships with Taiwan.

"Denying Taiwan the opportunity to participate in the WHO and the WHA weakens the global health architecture's ability to respond effectively to health challenges," they wrote.

The WHA is to be held from May 27 to June 1 in Geneva, Switzerland.