Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday blasted China and the World Health Organization for excluding Taiwan from this week's health assembly.
Pompeo said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus "had the legal power and precedent to include Taiwan."
"Yet, he instead chose not to invite Taiwan under pressure from the People's Republic of China (PRC)," Pompeo said in a statement. "The Director-General's lack of independence deprives the Assembly of Taiwan's renowned scientific expertise on pandemic disease, and further damages the WHO's credibility and effectiveness at a time when the world needs it the most."
Taiwan has been successful in battling the coronavirus pandemic, with just seven deaths and some 400 infections despite its proximity to China. Its government Monday indicated it had made strong efforts to be invited as an observer, according to Reuters.
"The PRC's spiteful action to silence Taiwan exposes the emptiness of its claims to want transparency and international cooperation to fight the pandemic and makes the difference between China and Taiwan ever more stark," Pompeo said.
"Taiwan is a model world citizen, while the PRC continues to withhold vital information about the virus and its origins," he said.
President Donald Trump has accused China of withholding information related to the virus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.