Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Saturday that Chen Shui-bian authorities' attempt to use health card to seek "Taiwan independence" was doomed to failure.

Qin made the remarks when asked by a journalist to comment on a proposal submitted to the World Health Organization that "Taiwan be invited to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer".

The proposal was put forward by Kiribati and a few other countries.

These countries claimed that the proposal should be included as an additional topic into the agenda of this year's World Health Assembly (WHA).

"Taiwan is ineligible to participate in the WHO, nor is it eligible to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer, according to the WHO Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the WHA," said Qin.

He said Chen Shui-bian authorities' attempt to use health issue to serve their secessionist activities by inciting a few countries to make Taiwan-related proposals was doomed to failure.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)