Taiwan seeks inclusion in World Health Assembly

Taiwan's exclusion from the upcoming World Health Assembly would harm the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and cannot be excused by mere rules of procedure, the island's health minister said on Wednesday.

Chen Shih-chung told international media at a news conference that global health officials "have not been honest and failed in their responsibilities," in an apparent reference to the U.N. World Health Organization that oversees the assembly.

Taiwan is claimed as part of Chinese territory by Beijing, which has excluded it from the United Nations and its subsidiary organizations.

China's growing influence in the U.N. has made officials wary of crossing it, even while the U.S. has withdrawn from or suspended funding for some of its bodies, including WHO, which it accuses of mishandling the outbreak and displaying a pro-China bias.

Chen said he acknowledged that U.N. member states would have to approve Taiwan taking part at the World Health Assembly, to be held in in Geneva beginning on May 17.

Taiwan has been praised over its handling of the pandemic, despite being just a short flight from China where the virus was first detected late last year.

As of Wednesday, the island of more than 23 million had recorded just 438 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, and six 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.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

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