In a rare political scenario, New Zealand has bravely challenged China to support Taiwan! Despite stern warnings from China, the land of Kiwis stood up to support Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Organisation (WHO). It has become one of the only nation to openly challenge China to support Taiwan, after the United States.
The foreign minister of New Zealand has said that the country requires to stand up for itself. It has been in a response to China’s warning against the country for supporting Taiwan’s participation at the WHO. He explained that the country’s stand on Taiwan is due to Taiwan’s tremendous success against the COVID-19.
“We have got to stand up for ourselves,” Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, said at a news conference when asked about China’s comment, according to Aljazeera. “And true friendship is based on equality. It’s based on the ability in this friendship to nevertheless disagree.”
Peters added that he doesn’t think the issue would harm diplomatic ties with China, New Zealand’s biggest trading partner. He further praised Taiwan’s successful response to COVID-19 which many countries could learn from. He explained that the country’s stand on Taiwan is related to their success against COVID-19.
“New Zealand’s position on Taiwan is about its tremendous success against COVID-19,” Peters added at the press briefing.
Following New Zealand’s endorsement of Taiwan’s participation as an observer at next week’s World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO’s decision-making body, China sternly rebuked the nation. It issued a statement of dissatisfaction and opposition by warning to stop making statements that could damage its bilateral ties.
Taiwan has reported only 440 coronavirus cases and seven related deaths. 372 have already recovered and only a very few active cases remain. The relatively low figures is attributed to its early and effective disease prevention and control work.