Rejecting the Taiwan region's participation in the annual session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) shows that the one-China principle is widely welcomed by the international society, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

This is the third consecutive year for the assembly to refuse Taiwan. The 72nd WHA is scheduled to be held in Switzerland from May 21 to 28. 

The WHA General Committee on Monday again decided to leave out the proposal of "inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said at a routine press conference on Tuesday.

"The Taiwan region's participation at international activities must and can only be handled in accordance with the one-China principle," Lu said.

He reiterated that the decision shows that the one-China principle is embraced by international society. 

Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in an email response to an interview request from the Global Times, that in 1972, the WHA recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the "only legitimate representative of China to the WHO" through resolution WHA 25.1.

The WHA is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO member states, currently at 194 countries.

Global Times