Taiwan's efforts to join World Health Assembly goes in vain

As the 75th World Health Assembly begins in earnest in Geneva, Switzerland, Taiwan remains conspicuous by its absence. China has been successfully preventing Taiwanese participation in WHO activities ever since it joined the United Nations in 1971. This year 13 countries had rallied and sent a proposal for Taiwan to join as an observer, which however got turned down from the agenda according to WHA President Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, who is also the Health Minister of Djibouti.

Taiwan has been systematically kept out of world group meetings as per the “One China” policy strongly advocated by its large and powerful neighbour. The all-powerful Chinese Communist Party has continuously proclaimed ownership of the island country and even threatens to occupy it by force in the future.

Taiwan has been over the years complaining that they lose out on many medical urgencies and studies in its island nation, due to its absence from WHO and other United Nations bodies. Taiwan was the first country to red flag the WHO about COVID-19 human-to-human transmission as early as December 2019. The world had then forcefully closed its doors to Chinese Air travelers as a result of this warning, which could have had disastrous health ramifications otherwise.


Why would the WHO keep pushing away Taiwanese participation is the question of most UN member countries? The reasons are financial. China’s clout as a major financer has been gaining ground over the past years. Most large developed countries are assessed donors to the WHO where 20% of the funds collected actually reach the body. The rest 80% remains pending. The WHO therefore depends on voluntary funding which is quickly received and China plays a major role in it.

Taiwan is the 25th largest exporter in the world and is a developed country. Only 13 countries openly recognize and back Taiwan or the Republic of China. Mainland China or PRC (People’s Republic of China) doesn’t do any trade with these countries. The 13 countries are Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Vatican City, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, and Tuvalu.