Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to seek to include Taiwan as an observer at the forthcoming World Health Assembly, particularly at technical meetings relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK continues to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a prerequisite and where Taiwan can make a valuable contribution. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office supports the Department for Health in lobbying for Taiwan's participation in World Health Organisation (WHO) meetings. The UK is working with likeminded countries to lobby the WHO at official level to issue an invitation to Taiwan to observe the World Health Assembly in November and allow Taiwan to participate in relevant WHO technical meetings. Lessons learnt from Taiwan's effective tackling of the Covid-19 pandemic adds significant value to the international fight against the virus.