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Taiwan, China delegates shake hands at WHA

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien shook hands with his counterpart from China at the World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva, reports said Tuesday.
In the run-up to the May 23-28 event, the World Health Organization send a letter of invitation which was widely seen as denigrating Taiwan by forcing it to call itself “Chinese Taipei” and by demanding it respect the “One China Principle.”
Nevertheless, Lin still traveled to Switzerland in the company of four legislators to defend Taiwan’s case and show its eagerness to contribute to the solution of global health problems.
Outside a meeting at the WHA, Lin had an unprepared encounter with Li Bin, the chairwoman of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, reports said Tuesday.
They shook hands and exchanged good wishes, with Lin expressing the hope that there would be opportunities to cooperate in the field of health. The encounter lasted only a short time, and media were reportedly prevented from photographing or filming the event.
The Chinese delegation had until now avoided direct contact with the Taiwanese, reports said. At the WHA conference, Lin sat behind a French-language placard reading ‘Taipei chinois,’ or ‘Chinese Taipei.’
Lin only took office last Friday as part of the Democratic Progressive Party-dominated administration of President Tsai Ing-wen.