The World Health Assembly's (WHA) annual 10-day conference opens on Monday in Geneva. Once again, Taiwan is seeking observer status at the meeting. Although a communique signed by People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
Beijing remains unyielding on its "one China" principle. It has negotiated a memorandum of understanding with the WHO Secretariat to allow Taiwan to join the organization under the name "Taipei, China." It has also demanded that the WTO inform the Chinese authorities before Taipei works with the WHO on the implementation of the International Health Regulations.
Taiwan is an independent and sovereign country. China has no right to unilaterally negotiate with the WHO Secretariat on any issues regarding Taiwan. Nor is it in a position to decide anything for Taiwan. This country will not accept any attempt to belittle its status.
China's UN representative office in Geneva recently issued a diplomatic note citing a UN resolution stating that Taiwan, as part of China, is not qualified to become a WHO member state or a WHA observer. Beijing requested that all nations not to propose, sign or endorse any bill that is related to Taiwan and not to speak for Taiwan. This is totally contrary to Hu's statement in the communique.
The diplomatic note also stressed that Beijing has taken measures to facilitate exchanges between Taiwan and the WHO, and guarantees that Taiwan has free access to health information and technical assistance. What a pack of lies. Over the past two years, Taiwan has requested technical exchanges with the WHO 22 times -- 14 were rejected, five were never answered and three were endlessly delayed. These are the results of Beijing's obstruction.
Disease does not recognize borders. In the wake of the SARS epidemic and outbreaks of avian flu in this region, Taiwan not only should be part of an international disease-prevention organization, it can make valuable contributions to disease prevention around the world.
The medical profession in this country made considerable advances and is able to export its skills and experience to benefit others. The tsunami disaster-relief effort is an example. The government contributed US$50 million in aid, and the private sector US$100 million. Taiwan has also established the Taiwan International Health Operations Center to expand international medical cooperation and provide support for countries in need.
Participation in the WHO is about the human rights of the people of this country. The government has not linked participation to an acceptance of Taiwan's independence, two Chinas or "one China and one Taiwan." Seeking observer status is a bid to avoid political controversy. The government has adopted a flexible position on the name under which Taiwan participates in the organization as long as national dignity can be maintained. Involvement in the WHO is a purely practical request, and as long as Taiwan can directly and immediately participate in all WHO activities as a separate entity, the government is willing to consider all options.
The WHA meeting will be an opportunity to assess Hu's real attitude. Perhaps China will be true to its word and respect the wishes of Taiwan's people. If Taiwan fails to gain entry into the WHO because of interference from China, then there will be no further doubt about Beijing's hypocrisy. That would hopefully put an end to the current bout of "China fever."
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
RSS