26.2 C
Accra
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
WorldTaiwan demands apology from WHO chief over virus 'slander'

Date:

Taiwan demands apology from WHO chief over virus ‘slander’

Taiwan demanded an apology from the World Health Organization chief on Thursday after he accused the island’s government of leading personal attacks against him and his agency’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for unity to fight the disease on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump criticised the global health body and threatened to cut its funding.

During the press conference he spoke of the abuse — including racial slurs — he had been subjected to since the public health crisis began.

Tedros largely avoided mentioning Trump by name but he did single out the government in Taipei, which has been frozen out of the WHO after political pressure from Beijing.

“Three months ago, this attack came from Taiwan,” he told reporters in Geneva.

“They didn’t disassociate themselves. They even started criticising me in the middle of all that insult and slur, but I didn’t care,” Tedros said.

The comments sparked anger in Taiwan, which described Tedros’ comments as “baseless”.

“Our country has never encouraged the public to launch personal attacks against him or made any racially discriminatory comments,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told reporters on Thursday.

“Our government demands an immediate clarification and an apology from director-general Tedros over such extremely irresponsible act of slander,” she added.

– Worsening relations –

Relations between the WHO and Taiwan have worsened considerably since the pandemic began, even as health experts have lauded Taiwan for its response to the virus.

It has just 379 confirmed COVID-19 patients and five deaths despite its close proximity and trade links with China, where the pandemic began.

Taiwan used to be able to obtain observer status at the WHO’s annual assembly.

But diplomatic pressure from Beijing in recent years has pushed Taiwan out of major international bodies including the WHO and ICAO — the UN’s aviation agency.

China’s Communist Party regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to one day seize the island — by force if necessary.

Beijing’s efforts to isolate the island have ramped up since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 because does not view the island as part of a “one China”.

Critics of Tedros have accused the WHO under his leadership of being too close to Beijing and complimentary of China’s response to the coronavirus.

In a tweet threatening to cut funding, Trump called the organisation “very China centric”.

Tedros has denied being partisan or holding any geopolitical bias.

“Please quarantine COVID politics. That’s what we want. We don’t care about personal attacks,” he said.

Source: AFP

[forminator_poll id="710479"]

Latest stories

Domestic Airlines sees rise in passenger traffic ahead of the Dec 7 elections

Domestic airlines are seeing a sharp increase in passenger...

Speaker Bagbin recalls Parliament; sitting scheduled for Dec 16

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has recalled the legislature...

Saglemi Housing Project to be completed in 400 days – Quarm-LMI Consortium assures

Quarm-LMI Consortium, appointed by the government to complete the...

E-passports will stop fraud and protect identities – Foreign Minister

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has...

I will sign anti-gay bill without delay if I become president – Bawumia

The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr....

OSP probes food-sharing by Lydia Alhassan during special voting

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated...

Related stories

Biden grants full pardon to son Hunter amid criminal sentencing

US President Joe Biden has granted a full and...

Court issues 2-year suspended death sentence to former Bank of China Chair for bribery, others

Former Bank of China chairman Liu Liange on Tuesday received...

Ghanaians among UN peacekeepers injured in Southern Lebanon attacks

The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has reported...

Russia denies Trump told Putin to restrain Ukraine war efforts

The Kremlin has rejected media reports suggesting that US...

More than 100 detained as protesters defy Amsterdam’s ban on protests

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested in Amsterdam on...

Traffic jam erupts as cyclists from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng for dumplings

A social media trend that began as a lighthearted...

Adin Ross wins $1.6m on Trump election bet after public endorsement

American streamer and social media influencer Adin Ross scored...