The World Health Organisation logo is seen near its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb 2, 2023.TAIPEI — It will be hard for Taiwan to attend this year's World Health Organisation annual assembly, and it hopes more countries will support its presence, the island's foreign minister said on Thursday after the United States pressed for an invite.
Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016 under the administration of then-President Ma Ying-jeou, who signed landmark trade and tourism agreements with China. But Beijing began blocking Taiwan's participation in 2017 after President Tsai Ing-wen won office. "When it comes to attending this year's WHA there may be some difficulties, but we are continuing to work hard, as before, to get more countries to support us," Wu said, without elaborating on those problems.
Taiwan, which is allowed to attend some technical WHO meetings, says its exclusion hindered efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.