DPP authorities' WHA bid just a secessionist trick

The registration for the 77th World Health Assembly concluded on Monday, and the secessionist-minded authorities of Taiwan island have not received an invitation to participate.

The WHA will bring together health ministers and other governmental leaders from the World Health Organization's 194 member states from May 27 to June 1 to talk about accelerating the goal of health for all and ensuring the world has the resources needed to address the health challenges of the future.

But the primary goal of Taipei's bid to take part in the WHA was not to promote public health but to use their presence in the international meeting as evidence that the island is recognized as a separate entity from the Chinese mainland.

The great lengths Taipei goes to in its attempts to use the WHA as a means to carry out such "independence-seeking" public relations campaigns, in which it is encouraged by the United States, are generally viewed as a waste of time and energy by the other participants.

That the Democratic Progressive Party authorities of Taiwan claimed that their absence from the WHA will cause a "gap" in global anti-epidemic efforts is a ridiculous effort to try and divert attention from their embarrassment, as the participants are well aware of the true purpose of it soliciting a WHA invitation. The WHA is not their "pro-independence" tool.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China under the jurisdiction of the central authorities in Beijing. Beijing's position on the island's participation in the activities of international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, is consistent and clear. That is, it will only approve if the island's authorities uphold the one-China principle, as recognized by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1.

That means the Taiwan island, unless given approval by Beijing, has no basis, reason or right to participate in the WHA. After coming to power in 2016, the DPP has refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus and been hell-bent on its separatist stance. As a result, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA as an observer no longer exists.

Hence, Beijing decided not to approve the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA. It's not just about upholding the one-China principle but also about the sanctity and authority of relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions.

For quite some time, the DPP authorities and their backers in Washington have been deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758, trumpeting the notion that Taiwan's status is undetermined, and advocating support for Taiwan's participation in the UN's multilateral forums, including the WHA. These moves are intended to mislead international public opinion and challenge the one-China consensus among the international community. Such endeavors to turn back history are doomed to failure.