US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has congratulated Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen on her re-election and hailed the island's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would like to congratulate Dr. Tsai Ing-wen on the commencement of her second term as Taiwan’s President. Her re-election by a huge margin shows that she has earned the respect, admiration, and trust of the people on Taiwan. Her courage and vision in leading Taiwan’s vibrant democracy is an inspiration to the region and the world,” Pompeo said. "The recent COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for the international community to see why Taiwan’s pandemic-response model is worthy of emulation."
On Monday, Pompeo slammed the World Health Organisation's decision to postpone the discussion on granting Taiwan observer status in the agency, despite multiple calls from the US. The US official underlined that Taiwan's renowned scientific expertise was crucial given the global nature of the pandemic.
The WHO said last week that its Director-General has no mandate to invite Taiwan to join the World Health Assembly summit later in May given a disagreement over the matter among member states. The WHO said member states have the last word as to who can attend a meeting as an observer.
Beijing strongly opposes Taiwan's bid to gain an observer status at the WHO, saying the attempt it as a violation of the "One China" policy.