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“The question of Taiwanese membership in WHO is up to WHO Member States, not WHO staff,” spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in an email. “WHO is taking lessons learned from all areas, including Taiwanese health authorities, to share best practices globally.” Jasarevic did not respond to a question on whether Aylward had hung up on the reporter.

The WHO has a point of contact with Taiwan to receive information, and the country is involved in epidemiology training. Two Taiwanese public health experts took part in a research forum the WHO organized in February.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has repeatedly backed China, even as Beijing was criticized by other countries and organizations for being slow to respond initially to the outbreak there, and for resisting cooperation with international disease-trackers. After weeks of wrangling, Aylward’s WHO response team gained access to Hubei province, where the virus first erupted.

Beijing is a big financial supporter of countries across Africa, including Ethiopia, where Tedros also served as foreign minister and a high-ranking member of its former ruling coalition.

With about 300 cases and just two deaths, the Taiwanese caseload is low relative to population, according to the WHO.