7 countries use WHA addresses to speak up for Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
05/23/2023 04:08 PM
Taipei, May 23 (CNA) A total of seven countries spoke on behalf of Taiwan's inclusion in the World Health Organization (WHO) during the second day of the U.N. agency's annual decision-making meeting in Geneva Monday.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), government representatives from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Czech Republic, France and Canada referenced support for Taiwan in their addresses to the World Health Assembly (WHA).
Despite not maintaining diplomatic relations with Taipei, all seven have publicly recognized Taiwan as a model for global public health that deserves to be included in WHO meetings and mechanisms and be invited to the WHA as an observer, according to MOFA.
For instance, Akiko Honda, Japan's Vice Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, said that in addressing global health issues, "it is important to refer to good examples that have achieved public health success such as Taiwan, and avoid creating a geographical vacuum [with regards to pandemic prevention] by leaving a specific region behind."
Carolyn Bennett, Canada's minister of mental health and addictions and associate minister of health, said that Ottawa supported "efforts to update the International Health Regulations and develop an international pandemic instrument."
"This also means it's crucial to build a global health community where everyone is included and meaningfully participates -- this is why Canada calls for Taiwan's inclusion as an observer at the World Health Assembly," she added.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said the world faced common health problems that required shared solutions.
"The United States continues to strongly support Taiwan's meaningful participation at the World Health Assembly and in the WHO's work more broadly," he added.
Their words of support were issued a day after WHA members rejected a proposal from Taiwan's diplomatic allies, including Belize, Nauru, Eswatini and the Marshall Islands, to put Taiwan's observer status on the WHA's agenda.
That proposal, however, was ultimately rejected by the WHA following objections from the People's Republic of China (PRC), which views Taiwan as part of its territory.
In its press release, MOFA thanked like-minded countries and allied nations for their support at the WHA.
Taiwan will continue to uphold the principles of professionalism and pragmatism to contribute to the global community and safeguard world health.
It also called on the WHO to uphold professionalism and political neutrality and allow Taiwanese participation, which it said would benefit global epidemic prevention and public health.
The Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, left the WHO in 1972 following a decision by the U.N. to expel the ROC and recognize the PRC as the only "legitimate representative of China."
Since then, Taiwan has been unable to attend the WHA even as an observer, except from 2009 to 2016, when cross-Taiwan Strait relations were warmer under Taiwan's then-Kuomintang government.
(By Joseph Yeh)
Enditem/ASG
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