Politicization of health issues slammed

China urged certain countries on Monday to stop politicizing health issues and stop interfering in China's internal affairs by exploiting the Taiwan question.

The Foreign Ministry made the remarks in a statement after the 77th World Health Assembly decided on Monday at the opening of the annual meeting of the World Health Organization not to include in its agenda a proposal on Taiwan's participation as an observer.

It's the eighth year in a row that the WHA has rejected the so-called proposal concerning Taiwan.

The decision fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and must not be challenged, according to the statement.

Taiwan has sufficient and unimpeded channels to participate in the technical communication and cooperation in the WHO, and there is no such thing as a "gap" in global anti-epidemic efforts, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in the statement.

The region's medical and health experts can participate in WHO technical meetings under the prerequisite that the one-China principle is upheld, the spokesperson said.

Compared with a handful of countries' political manipulation that supports Taiwan's participation in the WHA, the central government's arrangements and concrete actions demonstrate sincerity for the livelihood and wellbeing of the Taiwan people, the spokesperson added.

China urges certain countries to stop distorting and challenging United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, and stop hollowing out the one-China principle, the spokesperson said, adding that using Taiwan to contain China will only end in failure.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, also said on Monday the WHA's decision again proved that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to participate in the assembly by relying on the support of external forces, instead of consulting with the mainland and recognizing the 1992 Consensus, leads nowhere.