BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- China's position on the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), is consistent and clear, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
The spokesperson made the remarks in response to decisions by the General Committee and the Plenary Session of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday, respectively, to reject the so-called proposal of "inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer" submitted by certain countries.
This has been the 10th year in a row that the WHA has rejected the so-called proposal concerning Taiwan, the spokesperson said.
As for the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations, the spokesperson said that it must be handled in line with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle as demonstrated by the UNGA Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. China's Taiwan region, unless given approval by the central government, has no basis, reason or right to participate in the WHA.
Due to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' persistent separatist stance, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA no longer exists, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson noted that the Chinese central government attaches great importance to the health and well-being of compatriots in Taiwan. Under the prerequisite that the one-China principle is upheld, the Chinese central government has made proper arrangement for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs, and the Taiwan region's medical and health experts can participate in WHO technical meetings.
Over the past year alone, the central government has approved the applications of 18 medical and health experts from the Taiwan region to participate in WHO technical activities, covering various topics including immunization strategy, vaccine development, mental health and digital health, the spokesperson added.
Under the framework of the International Health Regulations, the Taiwan region has unimpeded and full-fledged information exchange mechanisms with the WHO and countries in the world, and it can promptly access and report to the WHO concerning information related to health emergencies, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said that the two sides across the Taiwan Strait also have unimpeded information-sharing mechanism for infectious disease outbreaks and have held events such as the Hospital CEO Forum. These efforts fully demonstrate that the Chinese central government has every sincerity to address the health issues that compatriots in Taiwan care about, that the Taiwan region has sufficient and unimpeded channels to participate in the WHO's communication and cooperation in the technical domain, and that the rights of the people in Taiwan regarding health are duly protected.
Compared with a handful of countries' political manipulation that trumpets Taiwan's participation in the WHA, the central government's proper arrangement and concrete actions demonstrate real meaning for the livelihood and well-being of compatriots in Taiwan, said the spokesperson, pointing out that the so-called "gap" in global anti-epidemic efforts is nothing but a politically-driven lie.
The spokesperson said that the DPP authorities and certain countries have been blatantly turning back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 to challenge the one-China principle. They are essentially trying to challenge not only China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice and prevailing consensus.
China's decision of not approving the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA has wide support and understanding from the international community, the spokesperson said, noting that the overwhelming majority of countries in the international community have reaffirmed to the Chinese side that they uphold UNGA Resolution 2758, firmly support the one-China principle, and oppose Taiwan's participation in the WHA.
They also expressed their support for China's position through various means, such as writing to the WHO Director-General, said the spokesperson.
"It shows that commitment to the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and what the greater national interests entail," the spokesperson said, noting that the international community's commitment to the one-China principle is not to be challenged or shaken.
The spokesperson said that no matter what the DPP authorities say or do, it does not change the fact that the two sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China and Taiwan is part of China, nor can it stop the trend toward China's ultimate and inevitable reunification.
"Taiwan independence" leads nowhere and provocations for that are doomed to failure, the spokesperson added. Enditem
京公网安备 11010802027341号