Geneva: Taiwan failed on Monday in its efforts to gain an invitation to the World Health Organisation’s annual assembly despite the island’s assertion that support was growing for its participation.

The annual assembly in Geneva decided not to extend Taiwan an invitation to the event, which runs from May 21-30. China and Pakistan had urged members to reject Taiwan’s inclusion, while eSwatini and the Marshall Islands spoke in favour.

China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and says the island is not a separate country but part of “one China” governed by Beijing. China’s insistence that Taiwan is not a country means that the island is excluded from many international organisations.

The office of the President of Taiwan condemned the WHO decision, saying it was “contemptible” of China to block its participation in global bodies and that Beijing had no right to speak for the island.

“Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent Taiwan’s 23 million people in the WHO and other international organisations and protect the health and human rights of the Taiwanese people,” its foreign ministry said.

China welcomed the decision. “This fully shows that the one-China principle is the aspiration of the people and the trend of the times in the international community and cannot be challenged in any way,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

“China also urges certain countries not to pretend to be confused, stop politicising the health issue, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and stop the erroneous practice of using ‘Taiwan to control China’,” Beijing said.