China slams US for advocating Taipei’s participation in WHO assembly

The Chinese government has strongly rejected the US call for the World Health Organization (WHO) to invite Chinese Taipei to its annual assembly, reiterating its sovereignty over the self-ruled island.

“We firmly oppose the relevant statement issued by the US,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing on Thursday, stressing that “there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part.”

Zhao's remarks came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Taiwan’s exclusion from the annual World Health Assembly as “unwarranted” and said his government advocates for the WHO to invite the island to take part in the assembly as an observer.

Zhao added that Taiwan’s participation in international organizations must be handled in accordance with the “one-China principle”.

China has sovereignty over Chinese Taipei, and under the “One China” policy, almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty. The US, too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island but has long courted Taipei in an attempt to unnerve Beijing.

Zhao emphasized that “any attempt to play the Taiwan card” or use the island against China was “doomed to fail”.

SS