TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Asked whether India supported Taiwan’s bid to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA), its Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday (May 9) that it wanted to develop cultural, scientific, economic, and trade relations with Taipei.

Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and several major countries have supported its attempts to participate in the annual health event in Geneva, scheduled for May 27-June 1 this year. It still has not received an invitation to the global health conference.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India wanted to deepen its existing links to Taiwan, but failed to explain what the country’s stance was on the WHA issue, CNA reported. 

Commentators said Delhi was improving ties with Taiwan, but was trying to maintain a careful approach to avoid worsening already tense relations with China.

As economic, trade, investment, and labor relations have grown closer over the past few years, Indian leaders have also started to mention Taiwan more often, the report said. During a speech in April, Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar named Taiwan as an important partner for the country’s “Look East” policy.