TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan should be included in the World Health Organization (WHO) so it can contribute to the goal of a complete global network for disease prevention, Representative to the Netherlands Chen Hsin-hsin (陳欣新) said in an opinion article published in the Dutch newspaper, Reformatorisch Dagblad.

Taiwan's participation in WHO meetings and activities would ensure there is no gap in world healthcare, Chen said. China constantly blocks Taiwan’s attempts to join, she said.

Taiwan will continue to work with the rest of the world to ensure everyone has the basic human right to healthcare as stipulated in the WHO constitution, Chen said.

The representative said that due to the Chinese government's lack of transparency in COVID figures, official data is missing. The WHO recently criticized China for this, she said.

Taiwan is still tracking the number of new COVID cases on a daily basis, even though it has been easing restrictions for several months, Chen said. China, on the other hand, stopped doing so a few days after moving away from its original zero-COVID policy, she said.

China’s actions are causing “consternation and concern” about public health in European countries, including the Netherlands, Chen said.

In the spirit of the U.N.’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, no one should be left behind, she said, adding that only a system of transparency and democracy can fight a global pandemic.

The 76th World Health Assembly is set to take place in May.