The World Health Organization (WHO) has banned Taiwanese journalists from its annual summit in Geneva.
Authorities overseeing press accreditation for the World Health Assembly (WHA) confirmed yesterday that journalists holding Taiwanese passports would not be permitted to enter the assembly building.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
According to the UN Department of Public Information, the office in charge of accreditation, this year's regulations state that Taiwanese passport holders will not be issued press passes as Taiwan is not a UN member state.
While the regulation is not new to the UN, it is a change to WHA accreditation procedures. In past years, accreditation had been processed by the WHO Media and Communications office and Taiwanese nationality was not a barrier.
"Basically, what's happened is that there has been an increase in security threats to the UN and UN personnel in the last week ? As a result, security of the UN has been increased and made much more strict," WHO spokesman Iain Simpson told the Taipei Times yesterday.
China's role in crafting the regulations was unclear.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Richard Shih (
"All I can say right now is that we are trying to understand the situation," Shih added.
The policy change comes just days before the start of the health summit, which runs from Monday to May 22. While accreditation requirements previously posted on the WHO Web site had not listed a passport photocopy as a necessary item for accreditation, changes were listed online on Tuesday.
Department of Public Information officials insisted the passport regulations were long standing.
"This has always been the case here in Geneva ? these procedures have been around for more than 30 years and will stay like this for quite a while," said Katherine Segli, a department official in charge of journalist accreditation.
She attributed the issuing of press passes to Taiwanese journalists in the past to good fortune.
"You just had some luck in the past," Segli said.
The regulation does not simply bar non-UN members from entry, however.
A Department of Public Information official explained that countries not in the UN but with WHO observer status would be granted press passes. Palestine, the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta have received invitations to participate as observers to the WHA.
"This is an old problem that we've run up against in the past," said Shen Lyu-shun (沈呂巡), director-general of the Taipei Cultural and Economic mission in Geneva.
"The same regulations have been implemented at the UN building in New York. We're currently negotiating with both the WHO and the UN," Shen said.
According to Shen, while Taiwanese journalists have been barred, a number of Taiwanese government representatives and members of non-governmental organizations will be allowed to listen in on assembly proceedings from the public gallery.
A domestic media organization commented on the issue yesterday.
"The association's stance is that you can't deny coverage of an event by saying that Taiwan is not a member state of the UN," said Tony Liu (
"This is a political move that is biased against Taiwan," Lu said.
Also See Story:
Editorial: WHO acts as China's accomplice
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS