FRIEND IN NEED: Taiwan has garnered wider support from allies to attend this year’s meeting, an official said, with Washington expressing dismay at Chinese obstruction

Taipei Times
Date: May 10, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter, with CNA

The US and the EU voiced their support for Taiwan’s attendance at this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA), following China’s move to block Taipei at the meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, later this month.

The US Department of State on Tuesday issued a statement saying it strongly supports Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the WHA, citing Taiwan’s commitment to global health security, and the important contributions it has made to public health and development.

“We are greatly dismayed that China has once again blocked Taiwan from receiving an invitation to attend [the WHA]. We will continue to urge the WHO to extend an invitation to Taiwan to attend this year’s WHA as an observer,” the statement said.

“The US believes that Taiwan should not be excluded from these critical discussions,” it added.    [FULL  STORY]