GENEVA - TAIWAN sent its first delegation to the World Health Organisation (WHO) annual meeting Monday in nearly four decades after seeing China bloc its participation for years.

Taiwan's delegation leader, health minister Yeh Chin-chuan, arrived in Geneva proudly displaying his badge 'Chinese Taipei' - the same name it uses for the Olympics.

The WHO invited Taiwan to attend its assembly as an observer last month, suggesting Beijing had dropped its long-standing opposition to Taipei's joining the body, although this was never explicitly stated by either side.

Taiwan was expelled from the WHO in 1972, a year after losing the 'China' seat in the United Nations to Beijing.

Since 1997, the island nation's annual attempts to join the WHO have been thwarted by Beijing, which previously said Taipei had no right to join the organisation - as a member, quasi-member or observer.

But relations between the two sides have improved dramatically since Ma Ying-jeou, of the China-friendly Kuomintang, became Taiwan's president last May and promised to boost cross-strait trade and tourism.

Taiwan also argued that China's veto of its participation at the WHO assembly prevented it from taking part in international controls on infectious illnesses, such as bird flu.

Historically, both Taipei and Beijing have claimed to be the legitimate government of what they both refer to as China - an area including Taiwan.

As a consequence, no country or official body recognises both capitals.

Mr Ma's predecessor as president, Chen Shui-bian, frequently irked China with his pro-independence rhetoric. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. -- AFP