Pandemic response under microscope at World Health Assembly

The annual World Health Assembly is getting underway in Geneva, Switzerland. The 77th session will be held with the theme 'All for Health, Health for All' from May 27 until June 1. 

The event will be attended by government officials and health ministers from 194 member states. The assembly is organized by the World Health Organisation, which is headquartered in Geneva. It will see a high-level segment attended by heads of states and ministers on Monday and will continue with debates and discussions throughout the week.

The Assembly comes just days after intensive negotiations were held by member states on global capacities to respond to pandemics and outbreaks of infectious diseases in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nations agreed to submit outcomes of their work for consideration by the upcoming World Health Assembly where key decisions are expected to be made on preparing, preventing and responding to the risks. Over 60 agenda items will be deliberated and voted on during the event.

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A special 12-strong delegation from China is attending the event and will participate in consultations and debates. The delegation consists of officials from China's National Health commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Disease Prevention and Control Administration, the General Administration of Customs, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the National Healthcare Security Administration, and the Permanent Mission in Geneva. 

The head of the delegation will deliver remarks during the general debate. Before and during the WHA, the Chinese delegation will attend briefings organized by WHO member states, join round-table discussions and side meetings held by other countries, and participate in consultations on various resolutions.

In the run-up to the Assembly, the delegation held a press conference at the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China in Geneva. The topic of Taiwan was highly anticipated following a proposal by current leaders on the island and some of their allies, to allow delegates from Taiwan to attend the event with observer status. 

China, noting this would be in stark opposition to its one-China principle rejected such an arrangement. Mr. Yang Zhilun, Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China in Geneva said that "Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have incited a very small number of countries to again put forward a confrontational and antagonistic proposal related to Taiwan, which is both untimely and unrealistic. The only outcome for this proposal is that it will be defeated. This is the duty of the Chinese delegation, and we are confident in our certain victory."

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