Recently, the General Committee and the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) decided respectively to reject the proposal put forward by a few countries on the so-called “inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer” for inclusion in the Assembly’s agenda. This marks the 10th consecutive year that the WHA has rejected Taiwan-related proposals. It fully shows that any attempt to distort facts, deny or challenge the one-China principle is bound to fail. The one-China principle, a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community, is unshakable.

There is no doubt about Taiwan’s status as part of China. From the perspective of historical facts, Taiwan has been China’s territory since ancient times, and a large number of historical records document the continuous jurisdiction exercised over Taiwan by successive central governments of China. From the perspective of legal basis, a series of documents with international legal effect have repeatedly affirmed that Taiwan is China’s territory. The 1943 Cairo Declaration clearly stipulated that Japan must return to China all the territories it had stolen from China, including Taiwan. The 1945 Potsdam Proclamation stipulated that the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out. On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government proclaimed the “restoration of the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan,” thereby recovering Taiwan both de jure and de facto. In 1971, the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, recognizing the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate government representing the whole of China. This resolved, once and for all, in political, legal and procedural terms, the question of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations. WHA Resolution 25.1 further reaffirmed the issue of China’s representation in the World Health Organization (WHO). The participation of China’s Taiwan region in WHO activities must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. WHO membership is open only to sovereign states. Taiwan is part of China’s territory and has no basis, reason or right whatsoever to join the WHO.

“Taiwan independence” is the fundamental reason why China’s Taiwan region cannot participate in the WHA. From 2009 to 2016, on the premise of upholding the one-China principle, the Central Government of China, through cross-Strait consultations, agreed to the participation of the Taiwan region in the WHA as an observer under the name “Chinese Taipei.” However, since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came to power, it has placed its political agenda above the well-being of the people in the Taiwan region and stubbornly adhered to a separatist position of “Taiwan independence.” As a result, the political foundation for the Taiwan region’s participation in the WHA has ceased to exist. It is the Taiwan authorities themselves that have shut Taiwan out of the WHA. The claim by the DPP authorities and a few countries that excluding Taiwan from the WHA would create a “gap in the international epidemic prevention system” is nothing but a political lie. The Central Government of China has always attached great importance to the health and well-being of Taiwan compatriots. On the premise of the one-China principle, it has made proper arrangements for the Taiwan region’s participation in global health affairs: medical and health experts from the Taiwan region may participate in relevant WHO technical meetings; an International Health Regulations contact point has been set up in the Taiwan region, enabling timely access to and notification of information on public health emergencies. Over the years, the Central Government of China has approved the participation of multiple groups of health experts from the Taiwan region in WHO technical activities.

The overwhelming majority of members of the international community firmly support the one-China principle. A total of 183 countries have established and developed diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle and support the principled position of the Chinese government on the Taiwan question. More and more countries firmly abide by the one-China principle, resolutely oppose any form of “Taiwan independence,” and firmly support all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. Over the years, the overwhelming majority of countries in the international community have reaffirmed to China their commitment to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, their firm support for the one-China principle, and their opposition to Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. More than 100 countries have clearly expressed support for China’s position by sending special letters to the WHO Director-General or by making public statements. A few countries and the Taiwan authorities turn a blind eye to the prevailing consensus of the international community and ignore the just voice of the overwhelming majority of countries. Their actions run counter to the trend of history and the will of the people, and are bound to be resisted and opposed repeatedly by the forces of justice in the international community.

Political manipulation in a specialized technical agency is unpopular. At present, the international system with the United Nations at its core is being disrupted by unilateralism and acts of power politics, and the WHO faces multiple challenges. At the same time, reforming and improving global health governance is at a critical stage. Negotiations on pandemic prevention, preparedness, readiness and response are proceeding intensively, and the international community has high expectations for strengthening solidarity and cooperation in the health sector and achieving a more equitable and reasonable system of global health governance. In disregard of the common good of the international community and in violation of the purposes of the WHO, the Taiwan authorities and a few countries insist on politicizing health issues, disrupting the normal order and agenda of the Assembly, undermining the atmosphere of solidarity and cooperation, and inciting division and confrontation. By placing their own selfish interests above the common well-being of humanity, they are bound to lose all support and find themselves isolated.

The Taiwan-related proposal at the WHA cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor can it change the fact that the one-China principle represents the will of the people and the trend of the times. The historical trend that China will and must be reunified is unstoppable. We urge the DPP authorities in Taiwan and a few countries to abide by the one-China principle and stop provocations that hype up Taiwan-related issues.