Despite being confined to her wheelchair, 86-year-old Taiwanese Yu We-yu (
"I am here to say `go, go, go' for Taiwan's bid. I hope we can make it despite China's stark opposition," Yu said, the eldest member of an unprecedented large-scale contingency of Taiwanese nationals that gathered in a downtown hotel in Geneva yesterday to boost Taiwan's bid.
Prior to departure, the younger Yu, dean of the School of Dentistry at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, asked his secretary to make him name cards printed with slogans such as "Help Taiwan into WHO, Please!!"
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Yu and her son are not alone.
Hundreds of Taiwanese from medical associations in Taiwan, Japan, North America, Europe and members of the Federation of Taiwanese Associations in Europe, as well the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce, have descended on Geneva for the week-long World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting.
Wu Shuh-min (
"Since our alliance's first experience here during Taiwan's bid in 1997, we knew it would not be an easy task. But now I am very thrilled to see that we no longer have only one group supporting the move," said Wu, who is also national policy adviser to President Chen Shui-bian (
Wu Yung-tung (
Besides the gathering in the morning, hundreds of the participants also conducted an outdoor campaign yesterday afternoon in front of the Place des Nations with colorful banners and placards with campaign slogans such as "Taiwan for WHO" written in various languages. The crowd chanted and sang Taiwanese folksongs including Move Forward (往前走) and If I Open My Eyes and Minds (阮若打開心內門窗).
Participants in the morning's events also shared their experiences in helping boost Taiwan's chances by utilizing their various connections and networks in the international medical community.
For instance, a Europe-based renowned expert in acupuncture has helped connect the local Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce with the health minister in his home country, which has been highly conducive to lobbying efforts a source said.
Additionally, more than 200 Taiwanese graduates from the Harvard School of Public Health helped collect 155 signatures from Harvard professors for a petition supporting Taiwan's bid presented to WHO Director General Gro Harlem Brundtland, said Chang Fu-mei (張富美), minister of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission.
Brundtland, a doctor from Norway, is also a Harvard School of Public Health graduate.
"We are indeed gathering momentum," Chang said, adding that the establishment of the Taiwan Medical Association in Japan in March is another example of overseas Taiwanese getting involved in the bid efforts.
Wu Shuh-min, who has only missed one WHA meeting since Taiwan's bid efforts began in 1997, said he has seen incremental progress in Taiwan's efforts, particularly in the interactions between the government and civil groups.
"While foreign ministry officials were rather cool to us when we were here for the first time in 1997 ... we are now enjoying an increasingly closer relationship with the foreign ministry," Wu said.
Wu also urged participants to continue making contributions to Taiwan's bid in the future in the event the WHO steering committee decides today to not put the issue on the assembly agenda.
"If we don't make it tomorrow [today], we should strive harder ... with each one of you committed to make further contributions to related lobbies in various countries," Wu said.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
The WHO ignored early COVID-19 warnings from Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on Friday, as part of justification for Washington withdrawing from the global health body. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the US was pulling out of the UN agency, as it failed to fulfill its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO “ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist, O’Neill wrote on X on Friday, Taiwan time. “It ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns.” The US will “continue international coordination on infectious
RSS