U.S., EU support Taiwan after no WHA invite for 10th straight year

Washington/Brussels, May 13 (CNA) The United States and the European Union both expressed support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations after Taipei was not invited to the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) for the 10th straight year.

The 79th WHA, the annual decision-making meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO), is scheduled to take place in Geneva from May 18-23, bringing together WHO member states to set global health policies and priorities.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Monday that the country had not received an invitation to the WHA for a 10th consecutive year due to pressure from China.

Asked to comment, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told CNA that although Washington withdrew from the WHO in January, it remains supportive of Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

"The world stands to benefit from Taiwan's expertise and resources to address some of today's most difficult global challenges," the unnamed spokesperson added.

The Trump administration's decision to leave the WHO came after Trump repeatedly accused WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of covering up China's responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump also called the WHO "corrupt" and said the U.S. was paying more than its fair share to the organization.

Meanwhile, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union's diplomatic service, also voiced support for Taiwan's inclusion in the WHA.

"Taiwan's participation in international frameworks should be allowed wherever this is consistent with the rules or practice of the organization," an unnamed EEAS spokesperson told CNA.

Also on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) said Beijing has decided "not to approve the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA," citing China's "one-China" principle, under which Taiwan is viewed as part of Chinese territory.

Asked to comment on Guo's remarks, the unnamed EEAS spokesperson told CNA that the "one-China principle" asserted by China has "no international consensus" and is not "recognized or applied by the EU."

The EU has its own "one-China policy," the spokesperson said, adding that under this policy, the EU recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China while also pursuing "friendly relations and close cooperation with Taiwan in a wide range of areas."

Taiwan has not attended the WHA since 2016, when it participated as an observer during a period of warmer ties with Beijing.