Photo taken in Brussels, Belgium on May 24, 2021 shows the live stream of the 74th World Health Assembly held at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo:Xinhua

The One-China principle is the shared belief of the international community and is the trend of the times, the Chinese foreign ministry said after the local Taiwan authorities expressed "pity" for not being invited to the World Health Assembly (WHA).

Any attempt to play the "Taiwan card" and use the Taiwan question to contain China will be firmly opposed by the overwhelming majority of the international community and is doomed to failure, Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson from the Chinese foreign ministry said Saturday.

So far, up to 90 nations have expressed adherence to the One-China principle and sent special letters to the World Health Organization (WHO) in opposition to Taiwan's participation in WHA. It once again proves that the One-China principle is the shared belief of the international community and the trend of the times, and it also proves the just and correct position that the vast majority of international community hold, Wang noted. 

China strongly opposes Washington and local Taiwan authorities' political games in suggesting the WHO invite the Taiwan island to participate as an observer at WHA.

Wang said China's position is to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the authority of relevant resolutions made by the UN General Assembly and the WHA.

Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. Taiwan's participation in the activities of international organizations, including the WHO, must follow One-China principle -- a fundamental principle confirmed in UN General Assembly resolution 2758 and WHA resolution 25.1, Wang noted. 

From 2009 to 2016 when the island adhered to One-China principle, the Chinese mainland had made special arrangements for Taiwan in making presence to the assembly, but since the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took office, it has broken the political foundation for the island to attend WHA. The DPP put political ambitions above the well-being of the people on the island, stubbornly adhered to the secessionist stance of "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the "1992 Consensus", Wang said. 

While DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen is keen on participating in the WHA, COVID-19 epidemic on the island is developing rampantly. The Taiwan health department reported on Saturday that the daily new caseloads exceed 84,600 cases and the single-day record deaths reach 59. 

Taiwan media said local authorities expressed regrets, sensationally, after learning that the island failed to be invited to the WHA.

The DPP has turned a blind eye to the international community's broad wishes when it comes to anti-coronavirus cooperation and care for the health of Taiwan people, instead, it has been busy in politically manipulating the epidemic, Wang said, adding the real intention for the DPP is to create a "one China, one Taiwan" division. 

Knowing clearly that the island of Taiwan cannot participate in WHA, Washington' advocating Taiwan to attend the meeting is apparently playing the "Taiwan card" for political purposes, experts noted. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Wednesday released a statement saying, the US "strongly advocate for the WHO to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer and lend its expertise to the solution-seeking discussions at the 75th WHA" in May.  

Wang said that China's central government has closely focused on the well-being and health of Taiwan patriots. Based on the One-China principle the central government has made proper arrangement for Taiwan to participate in global health affairs. 

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government has provided 400 briefings linked to outbreaks in the island and approved 77 people from the island to participate 44 technical activities organized by the WHO. The island has had open access to data and information from the WHO, Wang said. 

Global Times