Taiwan News
Date: 2016-05-11
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan has a right to attend the World Health Assembly based on the Constitution of the World Health Organization, the spokesman of the next Cabinet, Tung Chen-yuan, said Wednesday in reply to Chinese insistence on a “One China” policy.

After a long period of doubt, Taiwan was invited to the May 23-28 event in Geneva, but the invitation letter insisted the island use the name “Chinese Taipei” and “respect the One China Principle,” a phrasing clearly inspired by Beijing. The two sides have since become involved in a war of words about the issue.

Tung, who will be sworn in as Cabinet spokesman along President-elect Tsai Ing-wen and other members of her administration on May 20, emphasized that Taiwan had every right to be present in Geneva.

Health was a human right and a universal value, Tung said, quoting the WHO Constitution.     [FULL  STORY]