This is an introduction by the guest editor to the topical section on 'Taiwan, Public Diplomacy, and the World Health Assembly' of this issue of the International Journal of Taiwan Studies. The selected four papers, after a double-blind peer review process, were initially presented at a workshop entitled 'Public Diplomacy and Taiwan's Campaign to Join the wha', organised by the Global Communications Research Centre, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, 28 March 2018.