Spokesperson: DPP has self to blame over WHA issue

Taiwan was not invited to the annual World Health Assembly in May because of its opposition to recognizing the one-China principle, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson at the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday.

"We have stressed on many occasions Taiwan's participation in the WHO must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle," he said.

The island participated in the WHA as an observer under the name Chinese Taipei from 2009 to 2016.

"It was a special arrangement made through cross-Straits consultation on the basis of the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle," Ma said.

Since the Democratic Progressive Party came to power in May 2016, it has stubbornly adhered to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the one-China principle, he said.

"It has undermined the political foundation for cross-Straits consultation and prevented Taiwan from continuing to participate in the WHA," he said, adding the situation was entirely caused by the DPP.

Ma said, "The mainland has always attached great importance to the well-being of Taiwan compatriots."

The mainland, by contrast, has done a lot to promote cross-Straits exchanges in the field of health and made proper arrangements for Taiwan to participate in global health affairs, he said.

Ma said the DPP, in its own selfish, has put political designs on the well-being of Taiwan compatriots and undermined the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.