Taiwanese TV Report: Senior WHO Official Dr. Bruce Aylward Dodged Questions About Taiwan's WHO Membership, Praised China: If I Contract COVID-19, I Want To Be Treated In China (Archival)

On March 30, 2020, an English-language Taiwanese TV report about a WHO official praising China was uploaded to the Formosa TV English News YouTube channel. The report showed a video of Hong Kong reporter Yvonne Tong's interview with senior WHO official epidemiologist Dr. Bruce Aylward in which Dr. Aylward appeared to deliberately dodge questions about Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO. The report also showed several videos in which Dr. Aylward praised China and said he would want to be treated in China if he were to contract COVID-19. Formosa TV is a Taiwanese station.

Presenter: "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 hookup 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."

Interviewer: "Will the WHO consider Taiwan's membership? Hello?"

Dr. Bruce Aylward: "I couldn't hear your question."

Interviewer: "Let me repeat the question."

Aylward: "No, that's ok. Let's move to another one then."

Voiceover: "When Aylward was asked about Taiwan, he stalled for close to ten seconds and avoided a reporter's question. But the reporter persisted."

Interviewer: "I'm actually curious about talking about Taiwan as well, on Taiwan's case."

Voiceover: "We decided to give Dr. Aylward another call to follow up."

Interviewer: "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: "Well, we've already talked about China"

Voiceover: "Aylward is an assistant director general of the WHO and is a Canadian-trained epidemiologist. Ever since the pandemic broke out, he has constantly sung China's praises."

Aylward: "I left inspired and with a deep admiration for the common Chinese people that I worked with. If I had COVID-19, I'd want to be treated in China."

Voiceover: "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 that 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."