It is clear that Taiwan’s participation is almost entirely dependent on China’s “goodwill.” However, one thing Taiwan’s government and opposition agree on is that our side alone cannot control the hidden intricacies of cross-strait relations and we must make provisions for the possibility that the rug could one day be pulled out from under our feet. That is why we must try our utmost, by various means, to consolidate the legal basis for Taiwan’s participation in the WHA and WHO.
Finally, the government’s “diplomatic truce” policy has still not enabled Taiwan to take part in the international tuberculosis prevention network, or get hold of information related to stemming the global trade in fake medicines, or to become a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and so on. Even government officials admit that Taiwan still faces obstacles regarding these matters.
At the same time, we also need to communicate with other countries and international bodies to seek their understanding and support. The complexity of global health issues has given rise to the need for global health control structures. Governments and NGOs alike have important roles to play in sharing epidemiological information and setting medical standards and we should try to take part in these efforts.
A more fundamental question, however, is whether we should see our participation in the WHO as a starting point for involvement in global health affairs, or merely as a “token of love” from our negotiating partner on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
Lin Shih-chia is executive director of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan.
TRANSLATED BY JULIAN CLEGG
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