Outcry as World Health Assembly locks out Taiwan under pressure from China

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, speaking at the WHA assembly in Geneva, where Taiwan has been denied observer status and seen its journalists’ access revoked. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock

The World Health Assembly has again rejected Taiwan’s request to join its annual gathering amid routine objections from China and despite strong support from a coalition of countries including the US, UK, France and Australia.

The assembly – the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed – on Monday decided not to extend an invitation for Taiwan to attend the 21-30 May event in Geneva as an observer. China and Pakistan spoke against the bid, while the Marshall Islands, Belize, Nauru and Eswatini – four of Taiwan’s 13 formal diplomatic allies – spoke in support.