BEIJING - Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) is an arrangement based on the One China principle, said a mainland spokesperson on Friday.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Margaret Chan invited Taiwan's health authorities to attend this year's World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer in the name of "Chinese Taipei".

Ma said, the mainland has a clear and consistent stance toward Taiwan's participation in activities held by international organizations, which is there must be a proper arrangement based on the One China principle made through cross-Straits consultations.

Taiwan's participation in the WHA since 2009 has been a special arrangement made on the political foundation that both sides of the Taiwan Strait adhere to the "1992 Consensus", Ma said.

The Taiwan side has repeatedly professed willingness to continue participating in the event, and the mainland made arrangements correspondingly, which showed the mainland's sincerity in upholding the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, Ma said, adding it is also a goodwill gesture from the mainland side.