Taiwan's government slammed the World Health Organization's (WHO) 'indifference' to the health rights of Taiwanese people and for capitulating to China on Monday after failing to get invited to a meeting of its decision-making body.

The self-ruled democratic island failed to get assess to its World Health Assembly despite the strong backing of Western powers and its own lobbying. While the 74th World Health Assembly is set to open on May 24, in a joint statement Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said that Taipei would continue to seek participation.

Taiwan is excluded from most global organisations, such as the WHO because of the objections of China, which considers the island one of its provinces and not a country.

Wu also expressed regret of the United Nations (UN) health agency's decision-making body's mediocrity to 23.5 million Taiwanese people.

Taiwan also lashed out on WHO for its 'lofty promise' of leaving 'no one behind' and also refraining other member nations to get the benefits of Taiwan's extensive public health and anti-pandemic experience. The Taiwanese government, in the statement, expressed 'strong displeasure' with WHO's decision.

The statement said, 'as a professional international health body, the World Health Organization (WHO) should serve the health and welfare of all humanity and not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member,' referring to China that considers Taiwan as its own territory.

China says Taiwan can only take part if it accepts it is part of "one China", which Taipei's government will not do, and that only Beijing has a right to speak for Taiwan on the international stage and Taiwan has in any case been given the access it needs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taiwan urges the WHO to "maintain a professional and neutral stance, reject China's political interference, and allow Taiwan to join WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities in order to protect the welfare of humanity and jointly combat disease".

Image Source: AP