The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (May 24, 2021) solemnly protested and expressed deep displeasure over the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities’ continued suppression and obstruction of Taiwan's participation in this year's virtual World Health Assembly (WHA). Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China (PRC), neither historically, nor under international law, nor based on cross-Strait realities. Furthermore, Taiwan has never accepted the CCP's unilaterally established "one China” principle. The CCP’s distorted interpretations of the United Nations General Assembly and World Health Organization (WHO) resolutions, aiming to denigrate Taiwan and mislead the international community, have caused harm to the health rights of the people of Taiwan. These irresponsible actions are by no means conducive to the development of cross-Strait relations.
As the world concentrates on handling the COVID-19 pandemic, and members of the international community widely support Taiwan's participation in the WHA, Beijing has failed to cease its outrageous suppression of Taiwan's participation in the WHA. The CCP has deceptively purported that appropriate arrangements have been made for Taiwan to participate in global health affairs, creating a condescending misconception where Taiwan is a “provincial entity” with Beijing as the “central government.” This is completely opposite of the truth. In addition, the CCP has recently been incessantly engaged in military threats and united front work, harassing Taiwan in an attempt to force Taiwan to accept its self-established political endgame. The reality is that the Beijing authorities have no right to represent Taiwan, not to mention no means or capacity to care for the health and safety of the people of Taiwan. This is a widely recognized fact. Moreover, Taiwan will never yield to Beijing's threats or pressure.
Health is a basic human right and a universal value. Taiwan greatly appreciated the international support for its participation in the WHA. The WHO and other organizations should not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member, ignore the fact that the people of Taiwan enjoy the same health rights as do those in other countries, and allow a gap in the global pandemic prevention system. The MAC sternly admonished the CCP authorities that the key to the development of cross-Strait relations is mutual respect, goodwill, and understanding, instead of the imposition of an one-sidedly engineered "political framework" on the other side and letting it come before the right to health. In the future, the government of Taiwan will continue to contribute its expertise in public health and medicine, actively seek cooperation with the international community, and jointly respond to the challenges of the pandemic.