BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A spokesman with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said Wednesday that Taiwan's participation in the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) would continue to be appropriately handled this year amid the sound and peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Yang Yi told a regular press conference that the mainland and Taiwan properly handled the issue last year.

Taiwan participated in the 62nd World Health Assembly in Geneva in May 2009 as an observer.