OpEd: Why Taiwan’s participation in 78th World Health Assembly shouldn’t not be ignored?

By Ambassador Wallace Minn-Gan Chow
Representative
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines

The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), the most important annual forum on global health, will take place from May 19-27, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland. Despite Taiwan’s significant public health expertise and advanced technology, which bring considerable value to the world, Taiwan remains excluded from the international health system due to China’s obstruction.

Taiwan is able and willing to contribute to the international community. During COVID-19, Taiwan demonstrated its commitment to public health as well as the reliability of its epidemic prevention system. Separately, Taiwan has accumulated a great deal of experience and best practices in international medical assistance. For years, Taiwan has donated critical medical supplies and offered up-to-date and intensive training to medical personnel of partner countries, including the Philippines. Such efforts highlight Taiwan’s advanced public health system and medical capacity.

Take diabetes, one of the major causes of death in the Philippines, for example. Taiwan has continued to invest in the prevention, screening, early diagnosis, intervention, and self-health management of the disease. By helping its diplomatic allies to improve local primary healthcare, medical service capacity and public health education, Taiwan has increased resilience around the world to better prevent and control diabetes, among other noncommunicable diseases.

Furthermore, Taiwan possesses advanced medical capabilities and extensive experience with providing humanitarian aid and international disaster relief. Over the past decades, Taiwan has continued to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief aid to the Philippines, including a recent case in October 2024, donating 500 tons of rice, relief goods and US$150,000 to help the affected areas recover after tropical storm Trami hit severely the Philippines.

Taiwan’s isolation from the WHA is not only unjustified but also undermines global public health. By excluding Taiwan, the World Health Organization (WHO) has severely jeopardized the right to health of the 23.5 million people of Taiwan. Regrettably, WHO’s stance even undermines its own efforts to make global health architecture more comprehensive. This hinders global prevention, preparedness, and response to health emergencies.

China is using its distortion of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1 as a way to exclude Taiwan from the WHO and its related technical meetings and mechanisms, including WHA. In fact, neither UNGA Resolution 2758 nor WHA Resolution 25.1 can justify Taiwan’s exclusion from WHO. These resolutions do not mention Taiwan, nor do they authorize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to represent Taiwan at the UN or its subsidiary bodies. These resolutions have nothing to do with Taiwan and do not address the issue of Taiwan’s representation in the UN. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent the people of Taiwan in international organizations.

We urge WHO and all relevant parties to recognize Taiwan’s considerable contributions to global public health and the human right to health. It is imperative that WHO adopt a more open-minded approach and demonstrate flexibility, adhering to the principles of professionalism and inclusivity.
With geographic proximity and cultural closeness, Taiwan and the Philippines are natural partners and friends. While Taiwanese people cherish the spirit of sharing and caring, Filipinos value the tradition of Bayanihan, a way of life that fosters unity, trust and support. Therefore, I use this blend word Taiwanihan to demonstrate the strong ties between Taiwan and the Philippines, as well as the shared values of our two countries in the spirits of helping one another. Please join us in supporting Taiwan’s participation in the WHA, so that Taiwan can continue to help and contribute to the world.