A few days ago, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo addressed Secretary Azar's visit to Taiwan, and said that the United States has wanted Taiwan to be part of the conversations at the World Health Assembly (WHA), but that China has prevented that from happening. For us, this situation is also quite regrettable.
Throughout this pandemic, Taiwan has demonstrated that we can not only establish a domestic line of defense, but can also assist other countries defend against the spread of COVID-19. I would like to emphasize once again that political considerations should not override the human right to health. The decision to exclude Taiwan from participating in the WHA violates the principle of the universal right to healthcare.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our many good friends in the United States including President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Pompeo, and HHS Secretary Azar. We are grateful for their continued recognition of the Taiwan Model's contribution to global pandemic control, and their strong support for Taiwan's international participation. We also look forward to making substantial progress on joint efforts to develop and produce vaccines and drugs.
I am sure that our joint efforts will lead to even more breakthroughs and greater achievements in disease prevention and exchanges in all areas. They will also deepen the global cooperative partnership between Taiwan and the United States, so that together, we can contribute to peace, stability, and development in the Indo-Pacific.