MBABANE: The Government of Eswatini has publicly backed Taiwan’s participation in the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA), declaring that protecting the health of emaSwati citizens must take precedence over politics.
In a statement posted on the government’s official X account ahead of the assembly scheduled to open on May 18, Eswatini called for Taiwan’s inclusion in global health platforms and challenged interpretations surrounding international resolutions often cited to exclude Taipei from the gathering.
“Eswatini will protect the health of emaSwati at the 79th WHA,” the government stated. “We support Taiwan’s role in global health and call for a correct understanding of UNGA 2758 and WHA 25.1. Health first, politics second.”
The statement places Eswatini firmly at odds with China, which has maintained strong opposition to Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly and other international organisations.
Responding to questions from journalists during a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated Beijing’s position that Taiwan has no independent right to participate in the WHA without approval from China’s central government.
“There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” Guo said. “The Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.”
He further argued that Taiwan’s participation in international organisations must comply with the “One China” principle recognised under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1.
According to Guo, the political foundation for Taiwan’s participation no longer exists because of what Beijing describes as separatist policies pursued by Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.
“To uphold the one-China principle as well as the sanctity and authority of relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China has decided not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA,” he said.
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization and brings together delegations from member states to discuss global health priorities and policies.
Taiwan has for years sought observer status at the assembly, arguing that exclusion undermines global disease prevention efforts and international health cooperation. Taiwan previously attended the WHA as an observer between 2009 and 2016 during a period of improved cross-strait relations between Taipei and Beijing.
However, Beijing later blocked further participation following the election of Taiwan’s DPP government, which rejects China’s claim of sovereignty over the island.
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