January 14, 2021
1. Jan. 18, 2020
In a joint statement issued by China and Myanmar on January 18, Myanmar said it firmly adhered to the “one China principle” and recognized Taiwan as being an inalienable part of China. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) solemnly protested and condemned this statement, which sought to diminish the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan). MOFA reiterated that Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China (PRC), that only the democratically elected government of Taiwan can represent Taiwan in the international arena, and that the PRC has never governed Taiwan for even a single day and has no right to speak for Taiwan on the international stage.
2. Jan. 22, 2020
Even as COVID-19 continued to spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) failed to provide timely and complete information concerning the epidemic to Taiwan. Moreover, in its situation report concerning COVID-19 developments, WHO listed confirmed cases from Taiwan as being from “Taiwan, China.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) instructed its offices abroad to lodge a solemn protest with WHO and demanded that it make appropriate corrections. However, in updated reports, WHO continued to list Taiwan as part of China's epidemic-affected area. WHO's inappropriate listing led to confusion in the international community while also harming the rights and interests of the Taiwanese people.
MOFA demanded that WHO immediately revise its incorrect listing of Taiwan and called on WHO to maintain professional neutrality and act to defend the health of all humankind. In addition, it demanded that WHO not give in to unreasonable political demands by China's government and further requested that WHO invite Taiwan to regularly attend the World Health Assembly as well as participate in WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities to ensure that there is no gap in global disease prevention work.
3. Jan. 28, 2020
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) blocked Twitter accounts of individuals around the world for supporting Taiwan, accusing them of spreading misinformation. ICAO's complicity with unreasonable actions by the Chinese government infringed upon the fundamental right to freedom of speech. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong dissatisfaction and directed its representative office in Canada to express the government's strongest protest to ICAO via many channels.
4. Feb. 13, 2020
In press releases concerning the economic effects of travel restrictions imposed in light of the spread of COVID-19, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) inappropriately referred to Taiwan as [China's] “Taiwan Province.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a solemn protest and expressed dissatisfaction with ICAO's abandonment of professional neutrality, which made it a party to China's efforts to suppress Taiwan's international status. Taiwan's representative office in Canada called on ICAO to make appropriate corrections as soon as the issue was discovered.
5. Apr. 12, 2020
On its official Twitter account, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in France accused “the Taiwanese authorities” of using the word nègre (negro) to attack World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) responded with a statement that the Taiwan government had never made any discriminatory remarks about Director-General Tedros nor ever engaged in any personal attacks on him. The Embassy's baseless allegation on Twitter was shameless behavior on the part of the PRC. Furthermore, on April 10, the results of an investigation by Taiwan's Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau found that the majority of social media attacks against Director-General Tedros were in fact posted by Chinese trolls and were part of a PRC disinformation campaign to discredit Taiwan. MOFA solemnly condemned this deliberate smear campaign against Taiwan, which spread disinformation and attempted to mislead the international community.
6. May 7, 2020
During its May 6 press conference, the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat avoided addressing whether WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had the authority to invite Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly. It also inappropriately referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China.” Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a strong protest and reiterated that WHO, as the world's most important international health organization, should neither capitulate to unreasonable pressure from the People's Republic of China nor demean Taiwan's status in open contravention of the principle of neutrality it should uphold. MOFA called on the WHO Secretariat to rid itself of improper political pressure, remain professional and neutral, and assist Taiwan in participating in global collaboration on disease prevention and making more substantive contributions.
7. May 13, 2020
On May 13, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Brazil sent a letter to the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies demanding that the Chamber adhere to the “one China principle” and not extend congratulations to President Tsai Ing-wen on her second-term inauguration. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stressed that Taiwan is not part of China and that Beijing's attempts to force its “one China principle” on democratic Taiwan clearly demonstrate its contempt for the will of the people and hostility toward democracy. MOFA strongly condemned the PRC Embassy in Brazil for engaging in “wolf warrior diplomacy” and once again sincerely thanked the international community for its expressions of support and friendship through congratulations to President Tsai on her reelection and second-term inauguration.
8. May 18, 2020
The 73rd World Health Assembly took place online on May 18 and May 19. Prior to the meeting, the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) kept up its pressure on other member states not to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO), demanding that they present a joint letter to the WHO Secretariat calling on it to adhere to the “one China principle” so that Taiwan would be prevented from receiving an invitation to take part as an Observer.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expressed deep regret and dissatisfaction regarding this interference, and reiterated that Taiwan is not a part of China; only Taiwan's democratically elected government can represent the Taiwanese people in international organizations and take responsibility for their health. The PRC government has never governed Taiwan for even one day and cannot represent the people of Taiwan in the international arena. MOFA called on the WHO Secretariat to maintain a professional and neutral position, resist interference by the Chinese government, and allow Taiwan to take part in all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities to benefit all humanity by sharing the Taiwan Model for successfully containing COVID-19 and thereby creating a win-win-win situation for Taiwan, WHO, and the world.
9. Sep. 15, 2020
The organization BirdLife International unilaterally terminated the membership of Taiwan's Chinese Wild Bird Federation (CWBF) after inappropriate interference by the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The move came after the CWBF declined to sign a political document committing not to promote the legitimacy of the Republic of China or Taiwan independence. BirdLife International also demanded that the CWBF change its Chinese name. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemned this extension of PRC meddling and suppression into a completely apolitical field such as ecological conservation, and expressed its deep regret and dissatisfaction with the fact that BirdLife International complied with PRC demands to pressure the CWBF into taking a political stance. MOFA further instructed its representative office in the UK to lodge a solemn protest with BirdLife International expressing Taiwan's deep concern, and pledged to continue safeguarding Taiwan NGOs' right to participate in international organizations on an equal footing.
10. Sep. 23, 2020
During discussions at the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on applications by the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) and other organizations to participate as observers, the People's Republic of China (PRC) representative demanded that the review of the WMF's application be suspended on the grounds that its affiliated webpages carried content that violated the “one China” principle.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the PRC for depriving the WMF of its right to participate in the WIPO by letting politics override professionalism and urged the WIPO to maintain a neutral stance so as to realize the lofty goal of protecting intellectual property rights worldwide.
11. Oct. 20, 2020
The Taipei Trade Office (TTO) in Fiji held a National Day reception on October 8 as it had done for many years. Officials from the People's Republic of China (PRC) Embassy in Fiji attempted to force their way into the venue and had a physical altercation with a Taiwanese official, causing him to sustain an injury. The PRC Embassy later issued a statement falsely putting the blame on the Taiwanese officials. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the PRC officials for their violent actions, which seriously violated international norms and standards of civil behavior.
Immediately after the incident, the TTO provided a detailed account to both Fiji's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Fiji Police Force. It also sent a note verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing condemnation of the PRC officials, clarifying the facts, and conveying Taiwan's position on the matter.
12. Nov. 11, 2020
The 73rd World Health Assembly resumed virtually from November 9 to 14. Due to interference by the People's Republic of China, Taiwan was not invited to the event and, in the end, a proposal to invite Taiwan was excluded from the WHA agenda. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep regret and strong dissatisfaction that the PRC government's political considerations were given greater importance than health issues, thus blocking Taiwan's participation in the WHA and the World Health Organization and ignoring the health rights of Taiwan's 23.5 million people. Building upon the strong momentum generated and international support received during this WHA campaign, Taiwan will continue to proactively seek comprehensive participation in all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities.
13. Dec. 7, 2020
The UNESCO-affiliated Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) refused to allow a Taiwanese national to register for the virtual ICTP Winter School on Quantitative Systems Biology, citing new UN rules as grounds for rejection. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs instructed related representative offices to take up the matter with the ICTP and solemnly express Taiwan's position. MOFA urged the ICTP to maintain neutrality in academic research and refrain from allowing politics to take precedence over academic professionalism.