Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Sunday condemned
the Taiwan leadership's attempts to enter the World Health
Organization (WHO), decrying the fact that the island is simply
"not eligible" to join the UN agency.
Qin made the remarks when asked to comment on Taiwan leader Chen
Shui-bian's formal application to the WHO for membership for the
island.
"The WHO is a specialized UN agency, which only sovereign states
may join," Qin replied.
Qin pointed out that in recent years, Taiwan had suffered
setback upon setback after making many proposals to the World
Health Assembly conference.
"Whatever methods the Taiwan authorities employ, their plan to
use health issues to serve "Taiwan independence" activities are
doomed to fail," Qin said.
Taiwan first sought observer status in the WHO 10 years ago, but
has never succeeded since.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2007)