Yahoo News
Date: November 9, 2020
By: AFP

Taiwan on Monday said Chinese "obstruction" had prevented it from attending a key World Health Organization meeting focused on the coronavirus, accusing the global body of prioritising politics over health.

The self-ruled island of 23 million has seen remarkable success in combating the pandemic — with only seven deaths and fewer than 600 confirmed cases — as many parts of the world report surging numbers of infections and deaths.

But it is frozen out of the WHO by Beijing, which regards Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to take it by force if necessary.

The UN agency's decision not to invite Taiwan to its annual assembly — which resumed virtually on Monday after being cut short by the pandemic in May — was a result of "political considerations", Taipei's foreign ministry said Monday.    [FULL  STORY]