TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's health minister said Monday (May 11) that international support for the island's participation in the World Health Assembly has not weakened despite the United States' absence from the global health forum for the first time. Taipei is preparing to send a large delegation of medical and tech professionals to Geneva with a new strategy centered on showcasing its smart healthcare industry.
Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) told reporters that countries supporting Taiwan's bid for observer status at the WHA have increased year after year. "These like-minded countries are still working hard on our behalf this year," Shih said at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍).
The 79th World Health Assembly opens May 18 in Geneva. Taiwan has not received an invitation for the tenth consecutive year, shut out by China's objections. The U.S. formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Jan. 22, ending nearly 80 years of membership and removing Taiwan's most vocal advocate from the assembly floor.
Shih acknowledged the changed landscape but pointed to the Trump administration's record of support. "Even after President Trump took office, they expressed support for Taiwan's participation in international health activities 13 times through different channels and avenues," Shih said. He did not specify which countries have committed to supporting Taiwan this year.
The Taiwan Affairs Office (國台辦), China's agency handling cross-strait relations, called Taiwan's exclusion a failure of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's attempts to "use health issues to pursue independence." In a separate statement Monday evening, Spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said the DPP's refusal to accept the "1992 Consensus" had eliminated the political basis for Taiwan's participation.
Taiwan is responding by expanding its presence outside the assembly hall. For the first time, the government will host the "Taiwan Smart Medical & HealthTech Expo" at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva from May 17 to 19, featuring 30 companies and medical institutions. The delegation will also hold four professional forums on hepatitis C elimination, cancer prevention, smart healthcare, and medical resilience.
"Let the whole world understand that Taiwan doesn't just have chips — we've transformed them into solutions that patients can directly use and experience, improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare," Shih said. Lin framed smart healthcare as Taiwan's "second mountain that protects the nation," alongside semiconductors.
Lin said Monday that he is planning to travel to Geneva, which would make him the first Taiwanese foreign minister to attend WHA-related events. "I can't say yes or no because this is still being planned," Lin told reporters. "If it's finalized, I will report back to you all." Shih is confirmed to lead the delegation, departing May 16 and returning May 24.
The U.S. withdrawal has raised concerns among global health experts about international coordination on emerging diseases. Dr. Thomas Frieden, a former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the move "a grave error" in January, warning that "health threats do not respect borders, and weakening global cooperation makes Americans less safe."
Taiwan is also pursuing bilateral engagement with the U.S. outside the WHO framework. Shih said Taiwan is negotiating to renew a memorandum of understanding on health cooperation signed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Taiwan-U.S. health forum is scheduled for June in Taiwan, with a roundtable with American federal and state health officials planned for August in the United States.
Lin said Taiwan would also leverage other international platforms, including APEC and the Pacific Islands Forum, to advance its health diplomacy. "The world is big, and Taiwan can be a responsible partner with the ability to contribute," he continued, stressing that Taiwan aims to increase its outreach despite being excluded from the WHA. ◼