World Health Organization countries don't invite Taiwan to annual assembly

Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday rejected a proposal to invite Taiwan to its annual assembly in Geneva after China voiced opposition.

Belize and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines spoke on behalf of a group of countries who brought a proposal to include Taiwan as an observer to this year's meeting - with Saint Vincent describing Taiwan's exclusion as "unfair and self-defeating".

But China and Pakistan opposed the motion and the assembly accepted its exclusion.

"The proposal openly challenges the authority of the U.N. and the post-war international order," said China's Ambassador Chen Xu, repeating opposition voiced by the Chinese foreign ministry last week.

In past years, Taiwan had attended the World Health Assembly as an observer. The question of its participation recurs annually.

Taiwan is excluded from most international organisations because of objections by China, which considers the democratically governed island its territory.

A delegation from Taiwan has campaigned for its inclusion and a van has been driving through Geneva with images of bubble tea and the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

Source: Reuters