US says Taiwan’s absence may damage WHO’S credibility and effectiveness

The United States of America has condemned the exclusion of Taiwan from the World Health assembly as most countries continue to battle the pandemic.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said China’s “spiteful action” in silencing Taiwan “exposes the emptiness of its claims to want transparency and international cooperation to fight the pandemic, and makes the difference between China and Taiwan ever more stark.”

Pompeo also said Taiwan has effectively become a model world citizen, while China continues to withhold critical information about the virus and deny access to their scientists and relevant facilities.

The US, along with Taiwan’s diplomatic allies including Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay have formally requested to invite the country as an observer. However, during the World Health Organization’s meeting done virtually, member states delayed its discussion on whether Taiwan will be granted an observer status.

China is blocking the move since it considers Taiwan as its province.

Pompeo also criticized WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s supposed lack of independence, taking note of how the leader bowed to China’s pressure.

“The Director-General’s lack of independence deprives the Assembly of Taiwan’s renowned scientific expertise on pandemic disease, and further damages the WHO’s credibility and effectiveness at a time when the world needs it the most,” Pompeo added.

At present, no one has disputed Taiwan’s status as one of the world’s most successful efforts to contain the pandemic with only seven recorded deaths and 440 confirmed cases despite its close proximity to the original outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Pompeo added that “this should not be a surprise. Transparent, vibrant, and innovative democracies like Taiwan always respond faster and more effectively to pandemics than do authoritarian regimes.”

At the onset of the pandemic, Taiwan had already been pushing for its inclusion in WHO.

Taiwan’s Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said they need WHO as much as the organization needs them in ensuring that the highest attainable standard of health for every person is met especially at a time when a crisis anywhere readily becomes a problem everywhere.

Global health security requires every person to exert efforts in ensuring an optimal response to public health threats and challenges

“Taiwan, though not a member of WHO, cannot stand alone and must be included in the fight against such threats and challenges. Taiwan has fulfilled its responsibilities as a global citizen and abided by the International Health Regulations 2005,” Shih-chung said.

Since the start of the outbreak, Taiwan has notified WHO of COVID-19 cases while communicating with countries such as Japan, Republic of Korea, Philippines, United States, Italy and the European Center for Disease Prevention Control, among others.