WHO's Aylward Sidesteps Taiwan Queries, Spurring Reform Calls
Formosa English News
Bruce Aylward's refusal to address Taiwan demonstrates that Chinese influence has compromised the WHO, fueling demands for nations to restructure the agency once the pandemic ends.
AI-assisted summary of Senior WHO official dodges questions about Taiwan’s WHO membership; praises China — original source. Check the original for full context.
Source published:
Key ideas
- WHO Assistant Director-General Bruce Aylward faced backlash after freezing on camera and hanging up during an interview when questioned about Taiwan's membership. (0:00)
- Upon being reconnected, Aylward avoided commenting on Taiwan's COVID-19 response by conflating the island with China, stating they had already discussed China. (0:00)
- Aylward previously drew scrutiny for effusively praising Beijing, stating he would want to be treated in China if he contracted COVID-19. (1:32)
- Lin Shih-chia, CEO of Taiwan's Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance, warned that Chinese influence has compromised the WHO, urging post-pandemic international reforms. (1:32)
Detailed notes
## Background Published by Formosa English News on YouTube on March 30, 2020, this news report covers the backlash against World Health Organization Assistant Director-General Bruce Aylward after he dodged questions regarding Taiwan's membership during a video interview. According to the video description, Aylward stalled for roughly ten seconds before the connection dropped, later conflated Taiwan with China, and drew sharp condemnation from Taiwanese advocates who warned that the WHO has been heavily influenced by Beijing.
## TL;DR During a video interview with a Hong Kong media outlet, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Bruce Aylward remained silent for nearly ten seconds and disconnected when asked if the agency would reconsider Taiwan's membership. When the reporter reconnected and asked about Taiwan's pandemic containment success, Aylward deflected by stating they had already talked about China. The segment highlights Aylward's past public remarks praising China's epidemic response, including stating he would want to be treated in China if infected. In response, Lin Shih-chia of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance criticized the WHO for being compromised by Chinese influence and urged nations to pursue institutional reforms once the pandemic concludes.
## Atmosphere & style The broadcast carries a tense, skeptical, and unvarnished tone, highlighted by the awkward, prolonged silence of an official visibly freezing on camera to avoid a politically sensitive topic. It shifts from the cringe-inducing friction of the reporter's persistent questioning and abrupt disconnection to an assertive critique of international health diplomacy. Watching the exchange feels stark and exposing, contrasting Aylward's overt evasion with sharp, indignant commentary from Taiwanese public health advocates.
## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) WHO Assistant Director-General Bruce Aylward faced backlash after freezing on camera and hanging up during an interview when questioned about Taiwan's membership. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Upon being reconnected, Aylward avoided commenting on Taiwan's COVID-19 response by conflating the island with China, stating they had already discussed China. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Aylward previously drew scrutiny for effusively praising Beijing, stating he would want to be treated in China if he contracted COVID-19. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Lin Shih-chia, CEO of Taiwan's Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance, warned that Chinese influence has compromised the WHO, urging post-pandemic international reforms.
## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Senior WHO official and Canadian-trained epidemiologist Bruce Aylward overtly dodged questions regarding Taiwan's exclusion from the organization. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Aylward remained silent for nearly ten seconds after being asked by a Hong Kong reporter if the WHO would reconsider Taiwan's membership. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Aylward claimed technical difficulties with hearing the audio before the video interview abruptly disconnected. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) When called back and asked about Taiwan's virus containment success, Aylward dismissed the question by asserting, 'Well, we've already talked about China.' - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Aylward's evasive handling sparked outrage and raised hackles across Taiwan's public and medical community. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Since the beginning of the pandemic, Aylward has consistently praised Beijing's epidemic response and medical containment measures. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Aylward publicly stated that he left his mission to China inspired by the common Chinese people he worked alongside. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) In a February 2020 statement, Aylward claimed that if he contracted COVID-19, he would want to be treated in China. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance CEO Lin Shih-chia lamented that the WHO has been deeply poisoned by Chinese political influence. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Lin projected that once the pandemic concludes, nations globally will push to reform international bodies heavily infiltrated by China.
## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=0s) Bruce Aylward Dodges Questions on Taiwan's WHO Membership
A senior World Health Organization official provoked widespread outrage and raised hackles across Taiwan after overtly dodging inquiries regarding Taiwan’s exclusion from the international health body. During a video interview conducted by a Hong Kong media outlet, Dr. Bruce Aylward, a Canadian-trained epidemiologist serving as an Assistant Director-General at the WHO, was asked whether the organization would reconsider Taiwan’s membership status. Rather than addressing the issue directly, Aylward froze and remained silent on camera for nearly ten seconds, refusing to answer the prompt.
When the reporter attempted to break the silence, Aylward claimed technical difficulties, stating: “Hello? I couldn't hear your question.” The interviewer promptly offered to restate it, saying, “Let me repeat the question,” but the video call abruptly disconnected. Undeterred, the news outlet placed another call to Aylward to follow up. When the reporter asked, “I just want to see if you can comment a bit on how Taiwan has done so far in terms of containing the virus,” Aylward brushed off the inquiry by conflating Taiwan with the People's Republic of China, responding: “Well, we've already talked about China.”
```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Bruce Aylward Interview Interaction Flow accDescr: Sequence of questions and deflections during the RTHK interview with Bruce Aylward regarding Taiwan.
subgraph Interview ["Video Call Interview"] Q1["Reporter asks if WHO should reconsider Taiwan's membership"] --> Pause["Aylward remains silent for ~10 seconds"] Pause --> Claim["Aylward claims: 'I couldn't hear your question'"] Claim --> Disconnect["Video call abruptly disconnects"] end
subgraph FollowUp ["Follow-up Call"] Disconnect --> Q2["Reporter calls back to ask about Taiwan's virus containment"] Q2 --> Deflect["Aylward deflects: 'Well, we've already talked about China'"] end ```
[01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) Aylward's Defense of China and Repercussions for International Bodies
Aylward’s deflection follows a consistent pattern of public remarks since the initial outbreak of the coronavirus, during which he repeatedly showered praise on the Chinese government and its epidemic response. Reflecting on his official mission to the country, he lauded the domestic response, remarking: “I left inspired and with a deep admiration for, you know, the common Chinese people that I worked with.” In another widely cited briefing, he went so far as to express complete confidence in China's medical management of the outbreak, declaring: “If I had COVID-19, I want to be treated in China.”
These statements and Aylward's evasive handling of Taiwan drew sharp criticism from Taiwanese public health advocates. Lin Shih-chia, the CEO of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance, voiced deep concern that the global health agency has succumbed to political pressure from Beijing, lamenting that the WHO has been deeply poisoned by Chinese influence. Lin asserted that after the global crisis abates, the international community will be forced to reckon with Beijing's reach, expressing confidence that once the pandemic was over, each nation would seriously consider how to reform these kinds of international organizations that have been heavily infiltrated by China.
- **Interviewee:** Dr. Bruce Aylward, Canadian-trained epidemiologist and WHO Assistant Director-General. - **Incident:** Froze for roughly 10 seconds before hanging up on a Hong Kong journalist asking about Taiwan's status, later deflecting a follow-up question about Taiwan's epidemic response with “Well, we've already talked about China.” - **Criticism:** Lin Shih-chia of Taiwan's Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance warned that Chinese infiltration into the WHO necessitates thorough structural reform by member nations once the pandemic concludes.
## Notable quotes > [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM&t=92s) If I had COVID-19, I want to be treated in China. — Bruce Aylward
## Mentioned Bruce Aylward, World Health Organization, Taiwan, China, Lin Shih-chia, Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance
## Video description A senior WHO official has raised hackles in Taiwan by appearing to dodge questions about Taiwan''s exclusion from the world health body. During an interview via video chat with a Hong Kong media outlet, Bruce Aylward, a Canadian epidemiologist, remained silent for about ten seconds when asked if the WHO should reconsider Taiwan''s membership. After their video hook-up appeared to be disconnected, the interviewer called him back. This time Aylward declared that if he had contracted the coronavirus, he would want to be treated in China. When Aylward was asked about Taiwan, he stalled for close to ten seconds, and avoided a reporter’s question, but the reporter persisted. Aylward is an assistant director general at the WHO and is a Canadian-trained epidemiologist. Ever since the pandemic broke out, he has constantly sung China’s praises. Bruce Aylward (March 9)WHO Assistant Directors General I left inspired and with a deep admiration for the common Chinese people that I worked with.Bruce Aylward (February 25)WHO Assistant Directors General If I had COVID-19, I would want to be treated in China. Lin Shih-chia, the CEO of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance, lamented that the WHO has been deeply poisoned by Chinese influence. He said he believed that once the pandemic was over, each nation would seriously consider how to reform these kinds of international organizations that have been heavily infiltrated by China.
[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM)