離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Lin would ‘likely’ cite Taiwan at next WHA
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Ching-yi, right, points a finger at Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Legislator Alicia Wang during a committee meeting at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
PRAISE: New Party Power Legislator Hung Tzu-yung said the incident caused the KMT to respect ‘Taiwan,’ for which she lauds Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien （林奏延） yesterday said he “would likely” mention “Taiwan” if he represents the nation at the World Health Assembly （WHA） next year.
Lin made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee in response to a question from Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Legislator Chiang Wan-an （蔣萬安）.
Lin has been criticized for not mentioning “Taiwan” in his five-minute speech on Wednesday at the WHA in Geneva, Switzerland.
KMT legislators questioned why Lin did not mention “Taiwan” in his WHA speech, to which he said that the speech was drafted by him and modified by delegates who attended the meeting, with the National Security Council （NSC） being informed of the content.
In response to Chiang’s question about whether he would mention “Taiwan” in his next speech at the WHA, Lin said he is not sure he will be able to attend the conference, but he “would likely” mention Taiwan if he does.
New Party Power （NPP） Legislator Hung Tzu-yung （洪慈庸） said that it was a pity that Lin did not mention “Taiwan” this year, but if the issue had caused the KMT to respect “Taiwan” along with the DPP and the NPP, then she lauds Lin for his contribution.
The meeting began with KMT Legislator Alicia Wang （王育敏） lashing out at the NSC for not sending representatives to the meeting.
Wang said NSC officials should report to the committee because one of the issues to be addressed is the content of Lin’s speech at the WHA and lawmakers want to clarify whether the council approved of its content.
NSC officials being absent without permission is an act of “serious disrespect for the committee and the Legislative Yuan,” she said.
A few KMT legislators raised procedural motions to support Wang’s opinion and also criticized Lin for not mentioning “Taiwan” in his WHA speech.
KMT Legislator Arthur Chen （陳宜民） criticized Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials for refusing to help him deliver a protest letter to the WHO during the meetings in Geneva, but Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Lin Shu-fen （林淑芬） said Lin Tzou-yien had already handed the government’s protest letter and it would seem like “our nation is split or in a civil war” if they handed another letter from the KMT.
“The NSC must tell whether it has agreed to the exchange of interests [with the WHA or other nations] so that it can downgrade our sovereignty,” Chiang said.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming （柯建銘） and DPP Legislator Wu Yu-chin （吳玉琴） said that according to the constitutional system and convention, the “NSC does not report or answer questions at the Legislative Yuan unless the meeting is directly about legislation proposals or operation budgets regarding the council.”
Several DPP legislators said the NSC had on Friday sent a document saying that it could not send officials to the meeting, but Wang reiterated her disapproval and asked the contact person to inform the council to send officials at once.
The argument continued for about 90 minutes until the committee received confirmation that the NSC would not send officials to the meeting.
A vote was held on whether to condemn the NSC for not reporting to the legislature, with the majority voting against the motion.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
