Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang blasted Taiwan leader's attempt to gain membership in World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday, saying the island is simply "not eligible" to join the UN agency.

    Qin was responding to a question concerning Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's application for Taiwan's membership in WHO. Chen sent a letter to WHO chief recently, requesting the island be admitted as WHO member under the name of Taiwan.

    "WHO is a UN specialized agency, whose membership is only open to sovereign states," Qin said, adding Taiwan is simply not qualified to join it or apply for its membership.

    In recent years, Taiwan authority time and again tabled Taiwan-related proposals on World Health Assembly conference, but all suffered frustrations, Qin said.

    "Whatever ways the Taiwan authority takes, its schemes of making use of health issues to serve "Taiwan independence" activities are doomed to failure," Qin said.

    Taiwan had sought observer status in the WHO over the past 10 years, but has never succeeded.