Beijing responds to Taiwan WHA bill in US Senate

Beijing has lodged solemn representations with Washington over a bill passed by the United States Senate to help regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday, calling the move "political manipulation by a handful of anti-China politicians".

With only a few senators present, the US Senate on Aug 6 approved with unanimous consent a bill that called on the US State Department to submit a plan to help Taiwan regain its observer status at the World Health Assembly, the WHO's decision-making body.

In remarks issued on the ministry's website, Hua said this bill gravely violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, runs counter to international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs.

"China deplores and firmly rejects the US Senate's move," she said.

According to relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the WHA, the participation of the Taiwan region in WHO events must be handled following the one-China principle.

Noting the Chinese central government attaches great importance to the health and well-being of compatriots in the Taiwan region, Hua said appropriate arrangements for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs have been made under the precondition of abiding by the one-China principle.

"We urge the US Congress to fully recognize the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan question, abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, … and refrain from helping the Taiwan region expand so-called 'international space' or sending any wrong signal to 'Taiwan independence' forces," Hua said.

In May, the 74th World Health Assembly held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland refused to include a proposal on Taiwan's participation in its agenda.