US, EU back Taiwan’s bid for observer status at WHA

May 10, 2018

TAIPEI - Taiwan’s bid for World Health Assembly (WHA) observer status hase won public backing from both the United States and the European Union.

The American Institute in Taiwan said the U.S. strongly supports Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the WHA and will continue urging the World Health Oorganisation to extend it an invitation.

 
The AIT said the U.S. is “greatly dismayed” that China has once again blocked Taiwan from receiving an invitation to attend. Taiwan was committed to global health and the U.S. believed it should not be excluded from these critical discussions, the Institute said.
 
Maja Kocijancic, a spokesperson for the EU’s European External Action Service, said the EU supported practical solutions regarding Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks, and its attendance at WHA and WHO technical meetings was welcomed and in line with EU policy.
 
Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare, Chen Shih-chung, will lead a delegation to Geneva for a series of WHA sideline meetings involving public and private sector representatives, as well as health care professionals.
 
The Ministry says Taiwan participated as an observer in the annual WHA from 2009 to 2016 after 38 years of exclusion. China blocked an invitation in 2017 and 2018.   ttonline@mofa.gov.tw (ATI).