Taiwan’s incoming administration claims that China is moving for a “political interference” to prevent the island from keeping its observer status in the World Health Organization (WHO) as the United States continues to support them.
According to Reuters, the new government of Taiwan led by the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen complained about a senior Chinese official who cast doubt over their observer status in the WHO.
The island had been attending WHO meetings under this status since 2009, something Ma Xiaoguang, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, said could end "should the political foundation of cross-Strait ties be destabilized in the future."
This sparked outcry from the DPP as Tung Chen-yuan, Tsai's incoming cabinet spokesperson, declared the act as a form of "political interference."
"We believe this is political interference in our participation in the WHO," he said in a press conference on Sunday. "We cannot accept this and express our solemn protest. Taiwan people's health and their right to fully participate in the international community must not be constrained by any political framework."
On the other hand, the United States expressed their support for the island's participation in the assembly with U.S. State Department's Press Office director Elizabeth Trudeau expressing her pleasure at the thought that Taiwan would be participating in the event.
"We are pleased that Taiwan has received an invitation to this year's World Health Assembly taking place May 23 through 28," she said as cited by Focus Taiwan.
She further noted that the island had been attending the assembly for the past seven years and that the U.S. "strongly supports such WHA participation and Taiwan's meaningful participation in the work of the World Health Organization-related activities."
"Taiwan has made important contributions to global health, and its participation in the WHA and in the work of the WHO contributes to a safer, healthier world," she added.