Blinken’s statement Friday adds to a similar joint appeal by foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major economies this month in London. That irked the Communist Beijing government, which insists Taiwan has no right to conduct foreign relations or join global bodies. Blinken’s appeal “seriously violates the ‘one-China principle’” and joint U.S.-Chinese declarations, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying. “China firmly deplores and rejects it.”Taiwan split with the Chinese mainland in 1949 after a civil war. Blinken called Taiwan a “force for good in the world” and said it should be invited as an observer at the meeting of the World Health Assembly, the WHO decision-making body.

Source: ABC News May 10, 2021 10:18 UTC