Taiwan is not a member of WHO because of the obstacles of China, which considers it its territory.
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo called on Wednesday the World Health Organization (WHO) to invite Taiwan as an observer to the upcoming World Health Assembly.
“Today, I want to encourage all countries, including Europeans, to support Taiwan’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly and other relevant UN events. I also call on WHO Director General Tedros [Adanom Hebreiasus] to invite Taiwan to be an observer [at this month’s session] of the World Health Assembly,” Pompeo said at a State Department briefing.
Taiwan is not a member of the WHO because of Beijing’s opposition, which points to a self-governing island belonging to China and prevents it from accessing international structures. However, from 2009 to 2016, during a period of warming relations in the government of the island by the Guomindang Party, Taipei was allowed to attend the annual session of the World Health Assembly as an observer.
The regular session of the Assembly, which will be held by videoconference, will open in Geneva on 18 May. A number of WHO member countries, including the United States, expressed support for Taiwan’s commitment to participate in the organization’s work in the current pandemic.
On an island of 23 million people, 438 cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed and six patients died.