U.S. State Department calls for Taiwan's inclusion in WHA
"Taiwan's outstanding control of COVID-19 and its donations of PPE demonstrate its strong contribution to global health," State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted Friday.
"Taiwan has some of the world's leading experts in combating this disease, and we need to hear from Taiwan at the World Health Assembly," he added.
The WHA, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), is scheduled to hold its 74th annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, May 24-June 1.
It is widely thought that Taiwan will not be invited to the event, due to the objections of China, which views Taiwan as a part of its territory.
In light of the situation, global powers, including the European Union and Japan, have recently issued statements in support of Taiwan's inclusion in the meeting.
On Friday, the World Medical Association, a group representing more than 100 national medical associations, sent a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urging that Taiwan be granted observer status in the organization.
Meanwhile, the Legislature of the U.S. Pacific island of Guam unanimously passed a resolution calling for Taiwan's inclusion in the assembly and expressing thanks for face masks donations and other medical assistance the island has received from Taiwan.