The 77th World Health Assembly convenes in Geneva, Switzerland on May 27, 2024. Photo: IC

The 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday refused to include in its agenda a proposal on Taiwan's participation in the annual assembly as an observer, the eighth year in a row that the WHA has rejected the so-called proposal concerning Taiwan. This fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and must not be challenged, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The 77th WHA, which kicked off in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, refused to include the proposal of a so-called invitation to Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer put forward by individual countries on the agenda, China Central Television reported.

In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that China's position on Taiwan-related issues at the WHA is widely understood and supported by the international community. Over 100 countries explicitly expressed support for China's position by writing to the WHO Director-General and through other means. This fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and must not be challenged.

Once again we would like to make it clear to the DPP authorities that the abiding commitment of the international community to the one-China principle is unshakable and the trend that China will be reunified is not to be reversed, the spokesperson said. "Taiwan independence" runs contrary to the interests of our compatriots in Taiwan, and any attempt to seek "Taiwan independence" by relying on external forces leads nowhere. 

Meanwhile, we urge certain countries to stop distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758, stop fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, stop politicizing health issues, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs by exploiting the Taiwan question. Using Taiwan to contain China will only end in failure, the spokesperson noted.

Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday that WHA's rejection once again demonstrates that the DPP authorities' attempt to participate in the WHA with the support of external forces without recognizing the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle and without cross-Straits negotiations is a dead end and will inevitably fail.

Chinese experts on Monday pointed out that the US and a few other Western countries are trying to increase Taiwan's presence in international multilateral mechanisms, which violates China's sovereignty and the one-China principle. This is a very dangerous and destructive move, and is an attempt to cause more division and confrontation at the security, economic, and social levels in the international community, which will surely be opposed by all political forces and countries that love peace and prosperity, according to experts.

It is inappropriate and unrealistic for the DPP authorities to incite a very small number of countries to put forward a proposal related to Taiwan island at the WHA, Yang Zhilun, Minister-Counsellor of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said during a press briefing of the WHA, on Saturday.  

Yang stated that all parties around the world are currently engaging in dialogue and cooperation on how to prevent and respond to epidemics, promote the health and well-being of all humanity, and explore methods and approaches to improve the global health governance system. 

However, at this critical moment, the DPP authorities in Taiwan have incited a very small number of countries to once again put forward an antagonistic proposal to "invite Taiwan to participate as an observer in WHA," which is inappropriate and unrealistic, Yang said. 

Yang's remarks came after the US and several of its allies issued a joint statement Friday voicing support for Taiwan region's participation in the WHA, according to Western media outlets.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month issued a separate statement strongly encouraging "the WHO to reinstate an invitation to Taiwan to participate as an observer at this year's WHA."

Yang said that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 and the World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1 in 1972 clearly stated that the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China are recognized as the only legitimate representatives of China in the UN. These resolutions thoroughly and conclusively resolved the issue of representation for all of China, including Taiwan island, in the UN from political, legal, and procedural perspectives. 

These legal documents fully and accurately explain the core connotation of the one-China principle, that is, there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is a part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, Yang said, pointing out that the proposal related to Taiwan runs counter to the one-China principle and is illegal, invalid, and legally untenable. 

China has decided not to approve the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA, set to be held in Geneva from May 27 to June 1, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on May 13.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Monday that a few Western countries are attempting to elevate Taiwan's status in international organizations such as the WHO, trying to question the legitimacy of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and creating confusion in the international community regarding the Taiwan question. 

This intention is obvious and insidious, causing more division and confrontation at the security, economic, and social levels in the international community, which are opposed by all healthy political forces and countries across the world, the expert said.

Over the past few weeks, the overwhelming majority of countries have reaffirmed to China their commitment to UNGA Resolution 2758, firm support for the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA. Over 100 countries wrote to the WHO Director-General or expressed via other means their support for China's position, according to Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who held a regular press briefing on Friday.

Yang also said that the Chinese central government attaches great importance to the health and well-being of compatriots in Taiwan. The Chinese central government has made special arrangements for the Taiwan region's participation in the WHA on the basis of adherence to the one-China principle, fully safeguarding the health rights of the people in Taiwan island. 

Li slammed the US and the DPP authorities in using the excuse of "international health gaps" to increase Taiwan's presence in the WHO as a ridiculous show, and said it underestimates the international community's ability to discern right from wrong. The dirty tricks of the US using public health as a cover for political manipulation and encouraging "Taiwan independence" forces cannot deceive the international community, Li stated.