Photo: International Cooperation and Development Fund, used with permission
As the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 20, 2026, under the theme“Reshaping global health: a shared responsibility,“ the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized the need to “build a new global health architecture fit for the future.”
Yet this year’s Assembly also underscored a persistent contradiction. For the 10th consecutive year, Taiwan remained excluded from the WHA, despite the Assembly’s principle of “leaving no one behind.” The exclusion has continued even as cross-border health threats grow more complex and interconnected, reinforcing concerns that political barriers are undermining collective health security.
In response, Taiwan’s government and civil society have continued to advance a different message on the sidelines of the WHA that “Taiwan can help, and Taiwan is helping.” Through forums, exhibitions, and international outreach, Taiwan has sought to demonstrate that its public health capabilities, medical expertise, and technological innovation are not only relevant to the global health agenda but essential to it.
This year, that message was embodied in the Taiwan Smart Medical and HealthTech Expo, held under the theme“WHO Cares? Taiwan Cares!” and the slogan “Chip in with Taiwan.” The event showcased Taiwan’s growing role in the global smart medical supply chain and disease prevention network, extending beyond the island’s well-known strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
The expo brought together 30 Taiwanese medical centers and companies, reflecting the breadth of Taiwan’s health ecosystem and its ability to contribute to practical solutions in both clinical care and public health resilience. It also featured three edge-cutting forums: Cancer Policy and Innovation, Global Hepatitis C Elimination, and Smart Healthcare Implementation and Public Health System Upgrading. In addition, a dedicated section highlighted the work of Taiwan’s official development assistance agency. International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), drawing attention to Taiwan’s long-standing humanitarian and medical assistance programs. Together, these activities provided a clear illustration of Taiwan’s readiness to participate in global health cooperation despite its formal exclusion from the WHO system. The event reportedly drew more than 610 officials from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, as well as leaders from international medical associations, further showcasing the credibility and interest Taiwan continues to command.
“Viruses know no borders,” stated Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良). Shih emphasized that under China’s suppression of Taiwan’s international space, the ostracism is not only a loss for Taiwan, but also a “global crisis.” According to Shih, the recent hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship induced the WHO to request Taiwan to share its related pandemic prevention and containment experience. However, without formal access for participation in United Nations-affiliated organizations, Taiwan’s efforts, including its experience in epidemic response and prevention, have been consistently undermined.
This predicament is especially relevant in an era defined by overlapping crises. Emerging pandemics, Ebola-related public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC), economic instability, and climate change have all revealed the limits of fragmented governance. Public health resilience is increasingly understood as a core pillar of nontraditional security, not an isolated policy domain. In this context, Taiwan’s experience offers more than symbolic value. It represents an operational model for how technology, data, and health systems can be combined to strengthen readiness and response.
Taiwan has repeatedly demonstrated its value as a trusted partner in health security, both for Western countries and for its Indo-Pacific partners. In Europe, Taiwan’s alignment with international regulatory frameworks and pharmaceutical standards has fostered institutional confidence. In the United States, Taiwan’s epidemic mitigation efforts have drawn consistent recognition from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Across the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan’s partnerships have shown how its medical expertise can address concrete challenges in neighboring states. One notable example is the Taiwan–Philippines Smart Health Partnership, which offers a practical response to the geographic and administrative difficulties faced by an archipelagic country. With dispersed island communities, the Philippines faces persistent gaps in disaster response, health data integration, and access to care. Taiwan’s strengths in National Health Insurance(NHI) data, telemedicine infrastructure, and AI-assisted diagnostics provide a model for closing those gaps and reinforcing universal health coverage.
As the WHA calls for a more inclusive and future-ready global health order, Taiwan’s message is increasingly difficult to ignore. Exclusion may block formal participation, but it cannot erase capability, experience, or relevance. If global health is truly a shared responsibility, then strategic cooperation should be guided by effectiveness, not political convenience. Taiwan’s medical and technological contributions show that resilience is strongest when every capable partner is included.