Beijing denies Taiwan put at risk by UN health forum snub

Beijing has said the health of people in Taiwan was not put at risk by the island’s inability to attend a UN health meeting this year as there was no barrier to technical or medical exchanges and aid.

Self-ruled Taiwan has accused Beijing of obstructing its efforts to attend the May 22 to May 31 annual meeting in Geneva of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation.

Ties between mainland China and Taiwan have worsened since the election last year of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party who - unlike the island’s previous mainland-friendly administration - has not acknowledged the “one China” principle. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway Chinese province that has split from the rest of the country.

Taiwan has said health should not be politicised and that leaving Taiwan out of dialogue puts the world’s health safety-net and health of people on the island at risk.

The health of people in Taiwan and the island’s lack of attendance at the meeting were two different matters, An Fengshan, spokesman for mainland’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular news briefing.