GENEVA – World Health Organization (WHO) member states on Monday (May 14) rejected a proposal to invite Taiwan to the body's annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The move came after China declared it would block Taiwan's participation. Under the widely recognized One-China principle, Taiwan is not recognized as an independent nation and can only participate in international organizations as a region of China, with Beijing's consent.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the WHO's highest decision-making body, meeting annually in Geneva in May. The decision to reject the proposal to invite Taiwan was made amid escalating political tensions over sovereignty.
Taiwan has sought for years to participate in the WHA as an observer but has been largely denied due to China's objections. In 2026, a similar fate unfolded as member states voted to reject the proposal.
According to analysts, the WHO's rejection reflects international support for the One-China policy, although some countries continue to call for facilitating Taiwan's participation in global health mechanisms for public health reasons.
