Taiwan Not Qualified to Participate in WHO Activities

As a province of China, Taiwan is not qualified to participate in World Health Organization (WHO) activities, nor is it in any position to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) in whatever name, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remark at a regular press conference in response to a question requesting comment on the 53rd WHA's rejection of the request by Honduras and some other countries of making a supplementary item on the Assembly's agenda their proposal of "inviting the Republic of China (Taiwan) to attend the WHA as an observer".

Zhang said on May 15, the 53rd WHA decided by consensus not to include in the agenda of the assembly the proposal by a small number of countries like Honduras of "inviting the Republic of China (Taiwan) to attend the World Health Session as an observer", which once again frustrated the attempt by the Taiwan authorities to get into the WHO.

WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, Zhang said. Only sovereign states are entitled to become its members and to participate in its activities. As a province of China, Taiwan is not qualified to participate in WHO activities, nor is it in any position to attend the WHA in whatever name, she said.

The essence of the proposal of "inviting the Republic of China (Taiwan) to attend the WHA" is an attempt to create in the world " two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan", she said.

This has violated the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly or the WHA and basic norms governing international laws, the spokeswoman said. The Chinese Government and people are firmly opposed to this.

The question of Taiwan is an internal affair of China, Zhang said. No foreign countries have the right to interfere, said Zhang. The Chinese Government resolutely opposes political activities by any person to split the motherland under the pretext of public health and other issues, she said.

"We are confident that the just cause of the Chinese Government and people of safeguarding state sovereignty and territorial integrity will continue to enjoy understanding and support of countries and peoples in the world that uphold justice," Zhang said.



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