The bureau of Liberal International (LI) deplores the decision of the World Health Assembly to deprive Taiwan of retaking its seat as an observer to the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation on Monday 18th May.

At a time of unprecedented challenges the focus must be on saving lives. We recognise that Taiwan, as world-leader in fighting the coronavirus, cannot continue to be barred from the one institution tasked with fighting the pandemic on global level. China’s politically-motivated bullying behaviour undermines the world’s response to the COVID-19 health crisis.

As a bureau spanning 6 regions of the world we will mobilise our network and work across party lines to campaign for Taiwan’s place in the World Health Assembly when it meets again in November 2020.