This undated photo shows Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, taking a question during a press briefing in Beijing, China. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
BEIJING – Any attempt to hype up Taiwan-related issues at the World Health Assembly (WHA) is doomed to fail, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said on Friday.
Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are obsessed with political maneuvering for their party's own interests and sacrificing the interests of international public health, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the office.
He made the statement while responding to a media query about Taiwan not receiving an invitation to the WHA this year.
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The DPP authorities' attempts to seek "presence" at the WHA are, in essence, seeking "Taiwan independence" under the pretext of COVID-19, said Ma.
It must be pointed out that Taiwan compatriots share the bond of kinship with us and we care about their health and well-being more than anyone else.
Ma Xiaoguang, Spokesperson, Taiwan Affairs Office, State Council
Such attempts will surely encounter resolute opposition from compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait as well as the international community, he said, adding that these stunts, deceits and provocations are doomed to fail.
Ma said issues regarding the participation of China's Taiwan region in WHA-related events must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle, which is also mentioned in UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1.
Between 2009 and 2016, the Taiwan region had been able to participate in the WHA as an observer under the name "Chinese Taipei”. It was a special arrangement made through cross-Strait consultations on the basis of the one-China principle, said the spokesperson.
However, since the DPP authorities have been obstinately adhering to the separatist stance of "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, the political foundation for Taiwan's participation in the WHA does not exist anymore, Ma said, adding that the DPP authorities are solely responsible for this situation.
“It must be pointed out that Taiwan compatriots share the bond of kinship with us and we care about their health and well-being more than anyone else.”
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Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the mainland has kept Taiwan updated about relevant information, made arrangements for Taiwan experts to visit Wuhan, shared genome sequencing of the virus with the island, and offered vaccination to Taiwan compatriots on the mainland.
Communication and cooperation channels for the island to participate in the WHO technical field are fully open, and the means for obtaining COVID-related information and support are completely effective, the spokesperson said.
‘Seeking foreign favor’
While responding to query on the DPP's announcement that it would sign the first agreement with the United States under the "US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade”, Ma rebuked the DPP authorities for "leveraging all of the island's resources to win the favor of a foreign country," saying the "shameful act" is doomed to failure.
"We strongly oppose any agreements with sovereignty implications or an official nature signed between the United States and the Taiwan region of China," he said, urging Washington to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques through concrete actions.
The spokesperson criticized the DPP for its pursuit of political gains at the expense of the interests of the enterprises and people on the island.