TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — United States' Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) in an online meeting that Taiwan had the U.S.' full support in improving its access to vaccines, reports said Friday (May 21).

Health and Human Services' Office of Global Affairs tweeted: “Great meeting with Minister Chen from Taiwan to discuss the ongoing pandemic & global health issues.” The message featured pictures of Becerra and Chen during their talk.

“The U.S. supports Taiwan’s ability to access vaccines, its contributions to health security, & its return to observership at the #WHA,” the tweet said, ending with the hashtag “Let Taiwan Help.”

The 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) is scheduled to open on Monday (May 24) in a virtual format, but Taiwan has once again not been invited, despite its positive performance in the fight against COVID-19 and support from several major nations as well as most of its diplomatic allies. The World Health Organization (WHO) has ruled that the decision to let Taiwan attend the WHA is up to the member states.