BEIJING 鈥� China鈥檚 government criticized U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday for urging the World Health Organization to invite Taiwan, the island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, to participate in a meeting this month.
Blinken鈥檚 statement Friday adds to a similar joint appeal by foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major economies this month in London. That irked the Communist Beijing government, which insists Taiwan has no right to conduct foreign relations or join global bodies.
Blinken鈥檚 appeal 鈥渟eriously violates the 鈥榦ne-China principle鈥欌�� and joint U.S.-Chinese declarations, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying. 鈥淐hina firmly deplores and rejects it.鈥�
Taiwan split with the Chinese mainland in 1949 after a civil war. The two sides have extensive trade ties but no official relations.
The United States and other major governments have no official ties with Taiwan, but Washington and some others have expressed growing support for Taiwan during the coronavirus pandemic and in response to Beijing鈥檚 increasing assertiveness abroad.
Blinken called Taiwan a 鈥渇orce for good in the world鈥� and said it should be invited as an observer at the meeting of the World Health Assembly, the WHO decision-making body. He said it could make 鈥渧aluable contributions鈥� as the world tries to end the pandemic.
Hua accused Washington of making the appeal 鈥渇or political purposes.鈥� She said it is 鈥渄etrimental to future global response to public health crises.鈥�
Hua said Taiwan is part of China鈥檚 鈥渃ore interests,鈥� a term Beijing uses to describe issues over which it might be willing to go to war.
鈥淐hina has no room for compromise on this,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e advise individual countries to immediately stop hyping Taiwan-related issues.鈥�
The Associated Press
