By Jerome A. Cohen
My colleague Yu-Jie Chen and I have just published a piece in the Council on Foreign Relations’ IN BRIEF on “Why Does the WHO Exclude Taiwan?”. We discuss how Taiwan has done so well in dealing with the pandemic, why the world’s health body continues to exclude Taiwan, what the US government’s position is on Taiwan's WHO participation and why Taiwan’s exclusion is a problem for the world.
This is not a minor issue, nor is it limited to Taiwan. It involves a broader, important conversation about China’s improper influence over the international system and the accountability of international organizations such as WHO. It deserves our greater attention and vigilance as the fight against the pandemic continues.