TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's health diplomacy team will embark Friday (May 16) on a high-stakes mission to Geneva, where the World Health Assembly (WHA) is set to vote on a potentially transformative pandemic response agreement. The delegation is proceeding with determination despite being denied an official invitation to the 78th WHA gathering in Switzerland, slated from May 19 to 27, a situation that underscores the complex geopolitical obstacles Taiwan faces in global health forums during a period of unprecedented international health challenges.
Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) presented a united diplomatic front at a morning press conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Health is a basic human right and universal value," Chiu declared, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and resolve. Taiwan is also a world-class performer in medical care and disease prevention, he continued, "being kept outside the classroom and unable to share with classmates is a loss for the world and unfair to the people of Taiwan."
Leaning forward with intensity, Chiu emphasized Taiwan's substantial yet often unrecognized contributions to global health despite its systematic exclusion from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations' specialized health agency. "Taiwan has a strong reputation in healthcare and disease control. During COVID-19, groups like the Taiwan Medical Association stayed in touch with global partners through video calls, sharing information and support," Chiu said, referencing the island's widely praised pandemic response. "We also work closely with the U.S. and many countries in Europe. We have solid expertise, though our international connections can be less direct."
The delegation heading to Switzerland, noticeably smaller than Taiwan's representations in previous years due to a significant 60% budget reduction, will nonetheless include several key figures: Ambassador-at-Large Wu Yung-tung (吳運東), a veteran diplomat with extensive international experience, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lue Jen-der (呂建德) has been appointed to serve as both deputy delegation head and primary spokesperson for the group, tasked with articulating Taiwan's position to international media and health officials.
The diplomatic landscape has grown increasingly treacherous for Taiwan since the United States withdrew from the WHO under former President Trump, removing what had historically been Taiwan's most powerful advocate in international health governance. Without this crucial support at the negotiating table, Taiwan's already difficult path to securing observer status has become even more fraught with obstacles. Foreign Minister Lin addressed these geopolitical challenges with characteristic directness: "The U.S. leaving the WHO also puts pressure on the organization. Taiwan would be the first to join if a similar group is formed. Being outside the WHO doesn't stop us from contributing."
Despite these headwinds, Chiu noted that international diplomatic support for Taiwan's health participation has paradoxically strengthened in recent years, partly in recognition of the island's exemplary pandemic management. The delegation has strategically planned a high-profile international press conference in Geneva, designed to leverage media attention and urge additional countries and influential global health organizations to publicly advocate for Taiwan's rightful participation as an observer at the WHA, a status previously held before being excluded in 2017.
In what promises to be a pointed diplomatic countermove, Chiu plans to use the Geneva platform to directly challenge the legal basis for Taiwan's exclusion, asserting that neither UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 nor WHA Resolution 25.1 — documents frequently cited to justify Taiwan's absence — actually mention Taiwan by name or explicitly authorize the People's Republic of China to represent Taiwan's 23.5 million citizens in UN forums. Only Taiwan's "democratically elected government" can represent Taiwan in the UN and other international organizations and forums, Chiu emphasized, articulating a core principle of Taiwan's international stance.
Beyond purely diplomatic efforts, the delegation will showcase Taiwan's healthcare innovations by hosting a sophisticated professional forum in Geneva focused on the cutting-edge application of artificial intelligence to healthcare systems, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's universally acclaimed National Health Insurance system, which provides coverage to over 99% of the island's population. The carefully curated forum will explore the transformative potential of AI technologies to enhance healthcare accessibility, quality, and affordability while thoughtfully addressing emerging ethical challenges, including health inequality, patient privacy concerns, data security vulnerabilities, and the persistent reality of digital divides.
Distinguished healthcare experts from six nations — Japan, Thailand, the United States, Britain, Germany, and Switzerland — have received invitations to share comparative experiences and insights at this parallel forum, creating an alternative avenue for Taiwan's health diplomacy. As the Taiwanese delegation prepares to navigate the diplomatic labyrinth of Geneva without an official seat at the WHA table, their determined presence forces a profound question into the global health conversation: Can the international community genuinely achieve effective pandemic prevention while systematically excluding 23 million people from the formal mechanisms of global health governance?
"We will express gratitude to allies and friendly countries for their continued support," Chiu said, acknowledging the diplomatic backing Taiwan has received from various nations despite intense pressure from Beijing to isolate the democratic island. "We will also rationally and firmly call on the WHO to recognize the health rights of Taiwan's 23.5 million people and support Taiwan's participation in the WHA to realize this year's theme of 'One world for health.'" The irony of this year's inclusive-sounding theme juxtaposed against Taiwan's exclusion was not lost on officials preparing for their journey to Geneva. ◼