Whether Taiwan will take part in next week's WHA has sparked international attention. The WHO said it had no authority to invite Taiwan as there is no consensus among member nations.
You're making a political call if you fall into line with Beijing's views and issues. How would you respond to that?
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continues turning a deaf ear to questions related to Taiwan. When asked again about Taiwan on May 11 in Geneva, specifically about whether Taiwan will be invited to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer, he left the question for the WHO's legal officer to answer.
Instead of clear support, there are divergent views among member states and no basis, therefore no mandate.
WHO Principal Legal Officer Steven Solomon raised five points in his six-minute response. The main point was that even if this year's WHA is held via video conference, there is no plan to invite Taiwan. Solomon said Taiwan was able to participate as Chinese Taipei between 2009 and 2016 after member states reached a consensus. The situation is now different, and the director-general does not have the authority to invite Taiwan without the consensus of all member states. He added that 13 member states have proposed inviting Taiwan, and having the assembly make a decision.
A proposal has been made by 13 member states now that the assembly itself make a decision on an invitation.
Solomon mentioned that there wasn't a consensus among member states. China was one of the holdouts.
Right now, a so-called World Health Organization participation campaign is being promoted on the island of Taiwan. It is calling for Taiwan's return to the World Health Assembly, but the real objective is taking advantage of the epidemic situation to seek independence. This is political manipulation through and through.
China responded on May 11 to New Zealand's call for Taiwan to join the WHO, asking New Zealand to abide by the one-China principle and rectify the errors it has made in handling the Taiwan issue. Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu said on the same day that the invitation has not yet arrived, and that diplomatic allies will continue with efforts to support Taiwan's inclusion.
記者 VS. WHO秘書長 譚德塞:「(台灣表示)如果你只反應北京觀點,和議題是泛政治化,你怎麼回應?」