World Health Organization

WHO Push for Taiwan Quieter This Year, With Shift Away From COVID Narratives Globally

The annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the governing body of the World Health Organization, is currently taking place from May 22nd to May 28th. Taiwan was allowed to participate in the WHO as an observer from 2009 to 2016 under the Ma administration. But after the Tsai administration took power, Taiwan was not allowed to participate, as a result of Chinese pressure. As with past years, Taiwan has sought to call attention to its exclusion from the WHA and WHO, to call for its inclusion as an observer. Nevertheless, efforts to gain admittance to the WHA have been comparatively quiet this year, compared to past years....

Despite Current Outbreak, Last Year’s Successes Fighting off COVID-19, Taiwan Not Invited to WHO Yet Again

Taiwan not invited to the annual World Health Assembly meeting again this year, despite a number of nations calling for Taiwan’s inclusion as an observer. The World Health Assembly is the governing body of the World Health Organization, the United Nations agency responsible for global health. Taiwan's exclusion occurs despite the current COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan...

Actions by Trump Indicate Taiwan and Hong Kong Used Only to Score Points Against China

A press conference by US president Donald Trump took an unexpected turn yesterday after Trump announced not only the end of Hong Kong’s favorable trade status under American law, but that the US would be withdrawing from the World Health Organization. The WHO is the UN agency responsible for global health. The move is expected to have large repercussions on both Taiwan and Hong Kong...

Taiwan Drops Bid for Participation, Xi Jinping Delivers Opening Remarks at World Health Assembly

In a surprise, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced earlier today that it would be withdrawing Taiwan’s bid to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer. Notably, the opening remarks for the World Health Assembly summit, which will be held in Geneva and online today and tomorrow, were delivered by Chinese president Xi Jinping...

WHO Director-General Accuses Taiwan of Campaign Against Him Involving “Racism” Against Africans

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stoked controversy earlier today with comments accusing the Taiwanese government of launching an organized campaign against him in the course of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. According to Tedros, Taiwan was politicizing the coronavirus pandemic to attack the WHO when the world needs to unite in combating the disease. What has raised eyebrows in particular, however, was Tedros accusing the Taiwanese government of “racism” against Africans in this purported campaign against him...