Taiwan hits back after China calls FM trip 'behavior of petty clowns'

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the foreign minister's unprecedented visit to Geneva to coincide with the World Health Assembly (WHA) indicated that Beijing could not stop Taipei from showcasing its strengths worldwide.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) arrived in Geneva on Saturday to attend Taiwan-organized events held alongside the WHA, making him Taiwan's first top diplomat to be in the Swiss city during the annual gathering.

• Taiwan's exclusion from WHA a global health and diplomatic issue: FM

Previously, only Taiwan's health minister had been part of the WHA events team, which is jointly organized by MOFA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to promote the country's inclusion in the WHA.

In response, Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆), a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, told reporters in Beijing on Monday that China opposed countries providing platforms for "Taiwan independence separatist" activities.

He also took a direct shot at Lin, saying Taiwan's practice of sending people around the world to attract attention was "nothing more than the behavior of petty clowns."

Asked to comment, MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei (蕭光偉) said in Taipei on Tuesday that the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan) are not subordinate to each other, and that the PRC has no right to represent Taiwan in international arenas such as the WHA.

He also called on the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat to maintain neutrality and professionalism, rather than bowing to political pressure from China by excluding Taiwan from the WHA, the WHO's decision-making body.

Lin hinted prior to the WHA that he would try to visit Geneva while the assembly was being held, but it was considered unlikely because Taiwan and Switzerland do not maintain official diplomatic ties, making it hard for Taiwan's foreign minister to visit Geneva in an official capacity.

A spokesperson for the Swiss foreign ministry told Reuters, however, that Lin's visit was handled routinely.

Switzerland did not do anything to facilitate Lin's visit because Taiwanese nationals holding valid passports do not require visas to enter the country, the spokesperson said.

"Switzerland considers international cooperation and coordination in matters of public health to be of the utmost importance, as health matters know no borders," the spokesperson said in a statement sent to Reuters.

The statement also expressed regret that what it described as a compromise solution reached in 2009 to allow Taiwan's participation as an observer could not be continued in recent years.

Under its official name, the ROC lost its seat at the United Nations in 1971 and then was expelled from the WHO in 1972.

It was able to send delegations to participate in the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016 under the designation "Chinese Taipei" when relations between Beijing and Taipei were warmer during the Kuomintang administration in power at the time.

Asked about the Swiss foreign ministry's statement, Hsiao said Tuesday that MOFA had maintained close "communication and coordination with all parties involved" to make Lin's trip to Geneva possible, without elaborating.

Even though Taiwan was once again not invited to the WHA this year, Lin has been able to attend Taiwan-organized events promoting the country's achievements in public health and advances in the medical industry, Hsiao said.