Mainland rebukes US statement on Taiwan attending WHA

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressed opposition to a statement issued by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that urged the World Health Organization to invite Taiwan as an observer to the World Health Assembly meeting this month.

"There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," Wang told reporters at a regular news briefing on Wednesday. He urged Washington to stop using the WHA as a pretext to play up Taiwan-related issues, as it was the third consecutive year Blinken supported Taiwan's bid to participate as an observer.

Wang said the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations, including the WHO, must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle.

The UNGA Resolution 2758 explicitly recognizes the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, he said.

However, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party's refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus embodying the one-China principle undermines the political foundation for the Taiwan region to attend the WHA, Wang said.

The spokesman noted the US statement is misguided and misleading, and is intended to support separatist activities.

"We urge the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations and deliver on US leaders' commitments of not supporting 'Taiwan independence', 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'", Wang said.

The one-China principle has the overwhelming support of the international community. Any attempt to play the "Taiwan card" or use Taiwan to contain China will be firmly rejected by the international community and is doomed to fail, he added.