China denounces Taiwan minister's Switzerland trip at WHO meeting

China’s foreign ministry denounced Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s trip to Switzerland, turning a public health gathering in Geneva into the latest test of Beijing’s pressure campaign over Taiwan’s international visibility.

Lin was in Geneva for Taiwan-organized and NGO-led sideline events tied to the 79th World Health Assembly, which opened in the Swiss city on May 18 and runs through May 23. The World Health Organization says the assembly is its decision-making body and that it is attended by delegations from WHO member states.

Beijing said it opposed any country giving a platform to what it described as Taiwan independence separatist activity. It also said Taiwan’s attempts to send officials around the world to insert themselves into conferences would fail, a sign that China continues to treat even limited overseas appearances by Taiwanese officials as sovereignty challenges.

Taiwan’s foreign and health ministries said on May 11 that they would stage the first Taiwan Smart Medical & HealthTech Expo in Geneva, with more than 30 medical institutions and companies expected to take part. Taiwanese reporting said Lin was the first Taiwanese foreign minister to visit Geneva during the annual WHO gathering.

The dispute follows a familiar pattern. Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016, but has been excluded since then after Beijing stepped up its opposition. In May 2025, Taiwan again urged WHO to facilitate its participation, but member states declined to invite it. The United States has said Taiwan’s expertise and experience would benefit the assembly if it were admitted as an observer.

Taiwan says WHO and World Health Assembly exclusion affects the health rights of its 23.5 million people. Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of China, has used multilateral forums to keep the island from gaining separate recognition, making Geneva one of the most closely watched stages in the wider contest over Taiwan’s place in the world.