Despite obvious dissatisfaction with Tsai Ing-wen's failure to endorse the 1992 Consensus that commits to the "one China" principle, Beijing has demonstrated impressive patience.

Such patience got a fresh footnote on Monday in Geneva at the 69th World Health Assembly, when, against speculation that discontented Beijing would regret extending goodwill to the island's then leadership-in-waiting and find fault with Taipei's observer status, Tsai's delegates participated without trouble.

It would not have been a surprise if the anticipated trouble did arise. Because, the presence of the island, which is not a sovereign entity in international law, at the WHA was contingent on Beijing's consent. Taipei's status as an observer was arranged under the 1992 Consensus. The mainland has made it clear that many mutually beneficial mechanisms in place would become castles in the air without Taipei committing to "one China".