TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Formosa Club in Europe voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the 78th World Health Assembly in a letter to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday.

The club consists of Taiwan friendship parliamentary groups from 20 European countries and the European Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The club co-chairs and 534 other European lawmakers co-signed the letter, which also called for Taiwan’s participation in WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities.

The letter said that Taiwan’s exclusion from the global public health system prevents it from accessing critical information and sharing its medical expertise, posing a serious threat to global health security. The co-chairs pointed out that Taiwan issued early warnings during both the 2003 SARS outbreak and the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019.

The letter said that UN Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1 neither mention Taiwan nor authorize the People’s Republic of China to represent Taiwan in the United Nations system.

Taiwan has sent a delegation led by Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) to hold sideline meetings and promote its cause during the 78th WHA, which begins on Monday.