DPP warned against attempt to seek 'Taiwan independence' by using pandemic

BEIJING -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to stop seeking "Taiwan independence" under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic and said that such attempt will only come to a dead end.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a query on reports that the General Committee and the Plenary Session of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) have respectively decided to reject the so-called proposal of "inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer" submitted by certain countries.

This demonstrates the shared international commitment to the one-China principle, an overriding trend that cannot be challenged, Wang said.

He said the DPP authorities, disregarding the wishes of all parties and the livelihood and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, obstinately instigated countries having what it calls "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan to make Taiwan-related proposals, and a handful of countries have encouraged and emboldened this move overtly or covertly. These behaviors go against the historical trend and are egregious in nature, which are unanimously opposed by countries that uphold justice in the world.

By the time the assembly commenced, nearly 90 countries sent letters to the WHO to express their commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA, Wang said.

The Chinese central government always attaches great importance to the health and well-being of our compatriots in the Taiwan region, Wang said. "Under the precondition of abiding by the one-China principle, we have made appropriate arrangements for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs. The central government has given the Taiwan region about 400 updates about the pandemic situation since the start of COVID-19, and approved 47 visits by public health experts from the Taiwan region to 44 WHO technical activities over the past year."

"There is an International Health Regulations Contact Point in the Taiwan region for it to promptly access and report information related to health emergencies," Wang said. "The claim of a 'gap' in global anti-epidemic efforts is groundless."

The DPP authorities should know that the attempt to seek the "Taiwan independence" by taking advantage of the pandemic will lead nowhere, Wang noted. "We also urge certain countries to stop politicizing the health issue and stop interfering in China's internal affairs by exploiting Taiwan-related issues. Otherwise, they are doomed to fail just like a man who lifts a rock only to drop it on his own feet."