TAIPEI/BEIJING — Taiwan and the United States this week discussed how to get "closer coordination" between the island and the World Health Organization (WHO) during the coronavirus outbreak, drawing a rebuke from China for "political manipulation" of the epidemic. Taiwan's is excluded from the WHO due to diplomatic pressure from China, which considers it merely a wayward province with no right to the trappings of state. Its omission has become a major source of anger for the Taiwan, which says it has been unable to get first hand information from the WHO, putting lives on the island in danger for the sake of politics. Both the WHO and China say Taiwan has been given the help it needs. The U.S. State Department said on Thursday senior officials from the United States and Taiwan on Tuesday held a "virtual forum on expanding Taiwan's participation on the global stage", with particular focus on the WHO and how to share Taiwan's successful model of fighting the coronavirus.

Source: International New York Times April 03, 2020 08:37 UTC