TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A plenary meeting on the second day of the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday (May 22) rejected a proposal inviting Taiwan to participate as an observer.

Representatives from the U.S., Japan, U.K., France, Canada, Guatemala, and other countries expressed support for Taiwan’s future inclusion in the WHA, despite the failed vote.

In his plenary speech, U.S. Secretary of Health Xavier Becerra said: “We have common health problems worldwide that require shared solutions. Maternal mortality. Cancer. Infectious disease. Behavioral health and substance use disorders, especially from synthetic drugs. Climate change. The next potential pandemic is never far away."

He continued, “We have come together before in pursuit of audacious goals, to face down threats, and we have succeeded. We can do it again. That ‘we’ includes constructive stakeholders who have a role to play. The United States continues to strongly support Taiwan’s meaningful participation at the World Health Assembly and in the WHO’s work more broadly.”

Guatemala Deputy Minister of Health Edwin Montufar thanked international partners for their continued support in addressing global health issues, which included Taiwan.

At the WHA meeting, China expressed its dissatisfaction with countries supporting Taiwan’s inclusion. A Chinese representative criticized those "using Taiwan to contain China," reiterating the one-China principle as supported by United Nations Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1.

Later, a U.S. representative exercised the right to reply to China by saying, "The COVID-19 epidemic highlights the urgency of gathering all public health experts and authorities and the value of exchanging knowledge and experience in real time."

Then, the representative from China asked for the right to reply, stating, "We urge certain countries to stop knowingly supporting the false narrative on this matter, stop politicizing issues about health, stop using the Taiwan question to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and stop using Taiwan to contain China.”

U.K. Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care Will Quince said that given the founding spirit of the organization, "Taiwan should be allowed to be an observer of the WHA and have meaningful participation in all technical meetings."