Secretary of State calls for Taiwan to take part in WHO's World Health Assembly

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Friday called for Taiwan to take part in the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly, claiming the nation "offers valuable contributions and lessons" in its management of "global health and global health security challenges."

"There is no reasonable justification for Taiwan's continued exclusion from this forum," Blinken said in the statement, adding that the U.S. "calls upon the WHO Director-General to invite Taiwan to participate" in the forum "as an observer."

The World Health Assembly is the governing forum of the World Health Organization itself. It currently hosts 194 members. 

Blinken noted that Taiwan had been permitted to participate in the assembly "prior to objections registered by the government of the People's Republic of China."

"Taiwan is a reliable partner, a vibrant democracy, and a force for good in the world, and its exclusion from the WHA would be detrimental to our collective international efforts to get the pandemic under control and prevent future health crises," he claimed.