Taiwan and the United States release statements on Taiwan's exclusion from the 73rd World Health Assembly on May 19, 2020. Statement from Taiwan side is as following:

Taiwan deeply regrets that the World Health Organization continues to deny Taiwan's Observer status at the World Health Assembly for political reasons.

While Taiwan was not invited to take part in the WHA this year, it deeply appreciates the efforts made by the United States, Taiwan's diplomatic allies, and other like-minded countries in support of its case. In more than 20 years of robust cooperation on public health and biomedical research, Taiwan and the US have addressed such wide-ranging topics as the response to the SARS outbreak, regional training for Zika diagnostic tools, burn treatment, cancer research, and dengue vaccine research. Now this cooperation has expanded to include the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by sharing a number of measures and strategies Taiwan has implemented to contain the outbreak.

As the entire world works together to fight COVID-19, Taiwan's successful experience can serve as a model for the global community. By continuing to exclude Taiwan, a willing and responsible partner and stakeholder, WHO has failed in its pledge to leave no one behind and created a gap in the global health network.

Indeed, as COVID-19 stalks the globe, more and more countries are realizing that Taiwan's exclusion from WHO poses a dangerous risk to global health and safety, and that Taiwan's participation would be a positive contribution to WHO. This is illustrated by the widespread international support that Taiwan has received in its bid to play a professional, pragmatic, and constructive role in WHO.

As the most important international organization overseeing the development of global public health and the defense of the right to health, WHO should maintain a position of professionalism and neutrality. Taiwan urges WHO to ensure independence from political pressure, abide by its own call to work for the highest attainable standard of human health, and fully include Taiwan in its meetings, mechanisms, and activities, including the WHA.

Taiwan is grateful for the staunch, longstanding support from the United States, Taiwan's diplomatic allies, and other like-minded countries for ensuring Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO meetings so that Taiwan can make further global contributions. Taiwan will continue to work with these countries and observe the principles of professionalism, pragmatism, and making contributions as it seeks to broaden its international participation.