Radio Taiwan International
Date: 19 May, 2020
By: John Van Trieste

The World Health Assembly is postponing discussion of Taiwan’s observer status until later in the year. That was the word from the president of this year’s assembly meeting, Keva Lorraine Bain, on Monday.

The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the WHO. It opened its annual meeting on Monday, this time online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan took part in the assembly’s annual meetings as an observer from 2009 to 2016. However, since 2017 after President Tsai Ing-wen came to office, it has been barred from the meetings due to Chinese pressure.

Taiwan was not invited to attend this year’s meeting either. However, Taiwan’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic has created a groundswell of support for its return to the assembly. With the exception of the Vatican, which is not a WHO member, all of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have proposed accepting Taiwan as an observer once more.    [FULL  STORY]