Taiwan condemns accusations by WHO chief Tedros

Taiwan's foreign ministry on Thursday strongly protested accusations from the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) that it condoned racist personal attacks on him that he alleged were coming from the self-governing island democracy.

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused Taiwan's foreign ministry of being linked to a months-long campaign against him during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a press briefing, he said he has been personally attacked, including receiving death threats and racist abuse.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is a former health and foreign minister and the WHO's first African leader.

He said Taiwanese diplomats were aware of the attacks but did not dissociate themselves from them.

Joanne Ou, the spokesperson for Taiwan's foreign ministry said Thursday in Taipei that Tedros' accusations were groundless and seriously misleading.

Tedros was elected with the strong support of China, one of five permanent veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council and which claims Taiwan as its own territory.

He has firmly backed Beijing's claims to have been open and transparent about the outbreak, despite strong evidence that it suppressed early reports on infections, while echoing its criticisms of the US.

At China's insistence, Taiwan has been barred from the UN and the WHO and even stripped of its observer status at the annual World Health Assembly.

At the same time, it has one of the most robust public health systems in the world, and has won praise for its handling of the virus outbreak.

Despite its close proximity to China and the frequency of travel between the sides, Taiwan has reported just 379 cases and five deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.