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Latest WHO bid created true debate on Taiwan

Late on May 11, I left for Geneva, Switzerland, with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission. We were setting out to try to win acceptance for Taiwanese membership in the WHO.

This was the third time during my term as director of the Department of Health that I participated in the struggle with the World Health Assembly (WHA). This year, we applied for full WHO membership under the name "Taiwan," which made the debate on Taiwan's bid, in which two of our allies spoke on the nation's behalf against two of China's allies, even more complicated than in the past. Although Taiwan's media prefer to emphasize the outcome of the General Assembly vote -- 148 to 17 -- I feel that the results of this year's effort were far more significant than in the past.

Taiwan has attempted to obtain WHA observer status for 10 years, so this is not a new issue. At the WHA meeting on May 14, however, health ministers or representatives from 182 countries, UN agencies, major non-governmental organizations, as well as major international media outlets, more than 2000 people in all, spent more than three hours debating in depth whether Taiwan should be given WHO membership.

During these three hours, ministers or representatives of Taiwan's diplomatic allies spoke, and ministers or representatives of the US, Japan, Canada, Germany, Russia, India and other countries gave attentive thought to the positive and negative aspects of Taiwanese WHO membership as they listened to representatives of almost 50 countries discussing Taiwan's position.

Never in international medical circles has such careful consideration and such open and balanced debate been dedicated to Taiwan's international status or its medical contributions to developing countries.

Although China had mobilized supporters like Cuba and Pakistan to issue statements blocking Taiwanese membership and less than half the final vote was cast in support of Taiwan, representatives of many developed countries stated openly after the vote that they supported Taiwan's right to participation and representation in the WHA.

After the meeting, they also praised and congratulated Taiwan. Although Taiwan still hasn't won the support of a majority of member states, almost all representatives of individual countries support the idea that there should be opportunities for communication, contacts and cooperation between Taiwan and the WHO.

Taiwan's efforts to obtain meaningful participation have also been given the support of many countries, but pressure from China has made some countries reticent to openly support Taiwan's direct and immediate cooperation with the WHO, not to mention membership.

The WHO membership application may be Taiwan's most important moment in the international limelight each year, but Taiwan's medical professionals never cease to see the attempts to become a contributor to international health as a duty and an honor. The best example of this attitude is the Taiwan International Health Action, which was established last year.

Although the curtain has fallen on this year's WHA, Taiwan's medical professionals and the public at large will continue to move forward, manifesting the concern of the Taiwanese people and the professionalism and advancement of Taiwan's health professionals by sharing this concern and professionalism with people around the world, while at the same time working for Taiwan's acceptance into the WHO next year.

Hou Sheng-mou is the minister of the Department of Health.

Translated by Lin Ya-ti and Perry Svensson
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