WHO accused of ‘Chinese propaganda’ after official refuses to acknowledge Taiwan in bizarre interview

The World Health Organisation is being accused of pushing “Chinese propaganda” after an official refused to acknowledge Taiwan in a bizarre interview.

The World Health Organisation is being accused of "carrying China's water" after a senior adviser refused to acknowledge Taiwan during a bizarre interview with a Hong Kong news outlet.

Canadian physician Dr Bruce Aylward, an aide to WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom, sat down for a video interview with RTHK about the coronavirus outbreak where he was asked whether the organisation would "consider Taiwan's membership."

For several seconds, Dr Aylward sat in silence.

"Hello?" the reporter asked.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear your question, Yvonne," Dr Aylward responded.

"Okay, let me repeat the question," she said.

"No, that's okay. Let's move to another one then," the WHO official told her.

The reporter doubled down, saying she was "curious" to talk about Taiwan as well as the ongoing pandemic, but Dr Aylward quickly hangs up.

After calling him again, the reporter asked about what his thoughts were to Taiwan's response to the outbreak.

"Well, we've already talked about China," Dr Aylward answered. "And you know, when you look across all the different areas of China, they've actually all done quite a good job."

‼️WOW‼️ Bruce Aylward/@WHO did an interview with HK's @rthk_news & when asked about #Taiwan he pretended not to hear the question. The journalist asks again & he hangs up!

She calls back & he said "Well, we've already talked about China."

ENJOY+SHARE THE MADNESS! #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/jgpHRVHjNX

— 😷Hong Kong World City 🖐🏻☔️ (@HKWORLDCITY) March 28, 2020

Critics slammed Dr Aylward and WHO for what they suggested was the global organisation kowtowing to China.

“Aylward's behaviour reminds us that either we remove #China's pernicious influence in multilateral institutions like the #WorldHealthOrganization or the world's free states defund them and start over," author Gordon Chang reacted.

“It is an embarrassing scene,” journalist Ezra Cheung said. “Ironically, despite being so close to China, Taiwan manages to keep the #coronavirus infection and fatality rate low.”

“This is really stunning. Beijing’s power over the speech of a Canadian WHO official,” Axios reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian tweeted.

“When exactly did the WHO become a front for Chinese propaganda?" Grabien media company founder Tom Elliott asked.

Aylward's behavior reminds us that either we remove #China's pernicious influence in multilateral institutions like the #WorldHealthOrganization or the world's free states defund them and start over. https://t.co/eKHJ5M9n8n

— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) March 28, 2020

It is an embarrassing scene. @WHO Director General, Bruce Aylward, hangs up in an interview with RTHK when he is asked about reconsidering Taiwan’s membership. Ironically, despite being so close to China, Taiwan manages to keep the #coronavirus infection and fatality rate low. pic.twitter.com/bFWRXpCyHN

— Ezra Cheung (@ezracheungtoto) March 28, 2020

This is really stunning. Beijing’s power over the speech of a Canadian WHO official. https://t.co/ZUaEeOcKQi

— B. Allen-Ebrahimian (@BethanyAllenEbr) March 28, 2020

When exactly did the WHO become a front for Chinese propaganda? https://t.co/tIAqDHmQWG

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 28, 2020

WHO really carrying a lot of water for Beijing these days. https://t.co/ok49NjERDV

— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) March 28, 2020

Rewind—Bruce Aylward: “If I had COVID-19, I want to be treated in China.” https://t.co/dkQ4kiakZV pic.twitter.com/7TPNZo0OAa

— Vivienne Chow (@VivienneChow) March 28, 2020

A spokesperson for WHO told Fox News in a statement the organisation’s “focus at all times is to ensure that all areas of the globe have the information they need to manage the health of their people”.

“In a recent interview, the WHO official who headed the joint international mission to China, did not answer a question on Taiwan’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak,” the statement said.

“The question of Taiwanese membership in WHO is up to WHO Member States, not WHO staff. However, WHO is working closely with all health authorities who are facing the current coronavirus pandemic, including Taiwanese health experts.”

This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission