Each year, the World Health Assembly (WHA) convenes to set global health priorities. Representatives from countries around the world meet to discuss how to respond to and prepare for ongoing threats to public health, from cancer to pollution to pandemics. However, as these representatives travel to Geneva this May for the Seventy-eighth WHA meeting, Taiwan remains on the outside looking in.

    Taiwan’s exclusion has been not only detrimental to its own people but also to the international health community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan was on the frontlines, warning the world about the risks of human-to-human transmission while donating critical supplies and tens of millions of medical masks to countries in need, including the United States. Despite our efforts and early warnings about the virus, Taiwan was denied access to the WHO’s real-time information-sharing mechanisms. This exclusion left Taiwan’s 23.5 million people vulnerable and ultimately undermined global health responses.

    For years, Taiwan has been excluded from contributing to the WHA. What makes this all the more striking is our robust, world-renowned public health infrastructure and proven track record of international cooperation. Taiwan’s national health insurance system, covering over 99 percent of its population, is widely regarded as one of the most efficient and equitable in the world. The country has developed cutting-edge infectious disease surveillance networks, integrated health data systems, and rapid emergency response protocols. Through our foreign aid agency, the TaiwanICDF, Taiwan actively fosters international partnerships and advances public health initiatives, particularly in the area of smart healthcare.

    Yet, despite these substantial contributions, Taiwan remains barred from meaningful participation in the WHA year after year. Imagine the absurdity: a highly developed, technologically advanced democracy of over 23.5 million people—home to one of the world’s most effective public health systems—is not permitted to engage in a democratic process involving global health.

    Taiwan lacks no qualifications for inclusion in the WHA, nor is our exclusion grounded in scientific, humanitarian, or procedural concerns. Rather, we are experiencing the direct results of political pressure from Beijing. For decades, the People’s Republic of China has used United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, to block Taiwan’s participation in UN-affiliated bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO)—purely for political reasons.

    This resolution did not address Taiwan’s status, nor did it give Beijing the authority to represent Taiwan’s 23.5 million people in international organizations. Yet, these facts have not stopped the PRC from using its malign influence on the international stage to isolate the people of Taiwan from the rest of the world.

    If this doesn’t sound fair to you, you are not alone. Countries such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and other like-minded countries have consistently expressed support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHA. They argue that global health governance should prioritize expertise and cooperation over political conflict—and they are exactly right. Taiwan is grateful for the support of our democratic partners in standing up to pressure from the PRC in international organizations, and we will continue to work towards the advancement and protection of public health in spite of these challenges.

    The WHO’s founding charter affirms that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being.” However, excluding Taiwan from the WHA violates this principle and denies the world access to a proven partner in building health resilience. Allowing political pressure to override the WHA’s stated mission weakens international health efforts and undermines the WHO’s credibility as a neutral, science-driven institution.

    Supporting Taiwan’s participation in the WHA does not require resolving complex ideological disputes. It only requires a commitment to prioritizing global health over politics. Taiwan has expressed its readiness to engage constructively, adhere to technical protocols, and share its experiences with the world. The inclusion of a society with such a strong public health system as Taiwan would strengthen regional and global health networks, benefiting everyone. We cannot allow the health of our peoples to be a casualty of political gamesmanship.

    In a world where pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and health disparities know no borders, excluding Taiwan is not only unjust—it is counterproductive. Restoring Taiwan’s access to the WHA is a critical step toward depoliticizing global health governance. It is a message that principles matter and that political interests should not override the rights and safety of populations. The WHO should return to its mission and uphold the universal values it was founded upon, beginning with a simple but powerful act: granting Taiwan a seat at the table.