Health Minister Holds Press Conference in Geneva|WHA未獲邀 衛福部長率團表達憤怒

Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung traveled to Geneva despite the fact that Taiwan has not been invited to the World Health Assembly for two consecutive years, Chen says Taiwanese people are furious about the exclusion while China's delegation said Taiwan can't participate because the Tsai administration refuses to recognize the 1992 Consensus.


The 71st World Health Assembly has opened in Geneva. Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung, who flew there despite not being invited, called a press conference in Geneva to talk about the anger Taiwanese people feel over the exclusion.

The Taiwanese people feel very angry that we are denied to receive the invitation from WHA. I think it's not right things. It's very unfair for the Taiwanese people.

Chen accused the WHA of violating its own charter by not inviting Taiwan and said Taiwan's participation is a fundamental human right. He also said Taiwan gets a lot of tourists, which means it will have an important role to play if there is a dangerous outbreak of some kind. China's representative, National Health Commission Minister Ma Xiaowei, held his own press conference in response and said the Democratic Progressive Party is solely responsible for Taiwan's exclusion this year.

The Democratic Progressive Party administration does not recognize the one-China principle under the 1992 Consensus and has therefore destroyed the political foundation for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly. It only has itself to blame for Taiwan not receiving an invitation this year.

Taiwanese journalists were also unable to get credentials this year. In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it protests and condemns this and the World Health Organization needs to respect and protect freedom of the press.