中 "US Support for Taiwan's WHO Participation, Violent Interference in Internal Affairs"

Zhao Lijian, Spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] U.S. President Joe Biden recently signed a law supporting Taiwan's observer attendance at the World Health Assembly (WHA), drawing strong criticism from China, which called it interference in its internal affairs.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 16th, "(The signing of the U.S. bill) is a serious violation of the One-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques," adding, "It seriously contravenes international law and the basic norms of international relations and is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs."

Spokesperson Zhao further warned, "Do not use this bill to help expand Taiwan's international space," and cautioned, "If this is not heeded, China-U.S. relations and stability in the Taiwan Strait will be damaged."

Since China's admission to the United Nations in 1971, Taiwan has lost its full membership status in most international organizations, including the WHO. From 2009 to 2016, when relations with China were friendly, Taiwan participated as an observer at the WHA. However, after President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016 and bilateral relations deteriorated, China pressured the WHO in 2017 not to invite Taiwan. Consequently, Taiwan lost its observer status starting in 2018.

The WHO is scheduled to hold the WHA in Geneva, Switzerland, from the 22nd to the 28th of this month. With President Biden's signing of the bill, support for Taiwan's observer attendance at the meeting has been secured.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.