《TAIPEI TIMES》Joint statement supports the nation’s WHA bid

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

Eight countries issued a joint statement yesterday advocating for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly （WHA）.

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The US, Australia, the UK, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan and Lithuania’s offices in Taiwan issued a statement “to reaffirm our support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the work of the World Health Organization and Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly.”

“Taiwan remains largely excluded from the world’s international health system,” including not being invited to the WHA, which is to take place from Monday to Saturday next week in Geneva, Switzerland, the statement said.

The eight countries urged the WHO to invite Taiwan, which would be in line with the organization’s commitment to a “health for all” approach to international health cooperation, it said.

Excluding Taiwan “is unjustified and undermines inclusive global public health cooperation and security,” it said.

Taiwan, which participated in the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016, is “a highly capable, engaged and responsible member of the global health community,” it said.

The nation’s “significant public health expertise, democratic governance and advanced technology” could contribute greatly to the global health forum, it said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan last night sent a delegation to Geneva to join the sidelines of the WHA, Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan （邱泰源） said yesterday, adding that excluding the nation from the event is unfair to Taiwanese and a loss to the world.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until the last moment, Chiu told a news conference in Taipei.

“Health is a fundamental human right and a universal value,” he said.

He is to lead the “WHA Action Team” to Geneva to show Taiwan’s contribution to global health and medicine, including sharing the nation’s expertise in the field at an international news conference, Chiu said.

The team is also to hold bilateral meetings with its counterparts, participate in activities on the sidelines and organize forums, he said.

The team would consider sending a letter of protest to the WHA if the actions advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion fail, he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung （林佳龍） thanked the nearly 70 countries that have voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHA this year, including 11 diplomatic allies that sent letters to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the matter.

Taiwan’s bid to join the WHO as an observer is in line with universal values and should not be undermined by political reasons, Lin said.

Beijing’s attempts to block Taiwan from participating in the WHO are detrimental to all, he said, calling on the organization to resist Chinese pressure and manipulation, and to stay true to its objective of health for all.

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang （江啟臣） is to lead a separate group of legislators to Geneva, Chiu said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES