Despite the recent setback brought about by the EU's decision to vote against Taiwan's bid to enter the World Health Organization (WHO) as an observer, Department of Health (DOH) head Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) confirmed yesterday that Taiwan would not change its original strategy of calling for a vote by the group's general assembly.
"Calling for a vote will allow more people to think about Taiwan's application," he said.
Chen said that despite having met with high-level health officials in the Czech Republic and Germany, both nations had stated that they would follow the EU decision to vote against Taiwan's application.
The agenda of the World Health Assembly (WHA), established in January by the WHO's executive board, is slated to be reconfirmed by the General Committee tomorrow.
While it is anticipated that Taiwan's bid will not be added to the assembly's agenda during the committee meeting, Taiwan's bid may still be discussed and possibly voted on if brought up by a voting member. The general assembly, however, would have to first vote as to whether to change the agenda to include the issue of Taiwan's bid for observer status.
Thompson meeting
Chen said that he would be meeting with US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson this afternoon.
The meeting comes after a decision by American officials that the US would not be willing to call for a vote to add Taiwan's application to the agenda.
As to what the two plan to specifically discuss, Chen said that it would "depend on the mood of the conversation."
"We've interacted well with Thompson in the past, and the experience has allowed both countries to understand that health cooperation is more important than the cross-strait relationship," Chen said.
He said that Taiwan has always cooperated with WHO initiatives. He also said that tomorrow, Taiwan will donate NT$1 million to the Global Fund which works to fight AIDS, malaria and other communicable diseases.
In addition, the Executive Yuan had already passed a bill to enact the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a WHO initiative aimed towards eradicating smoking-related diseases, he said.
Helpful friends
Shen Lyu-shun (沈呂巡), director-general of the Taipei Cultural and Economic mission in Geneva, said that 12 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have already presented Taiwan's application to the WHA's General Committee, which is scheduled to meet tomorrow.
Representatives from several non-governmental organizations have begun to arrive in Geneva to attend the WHA, and some will show support for Taiwan's bid to gain observer status in the world health body.
In addition, half page advertisements asking readers "WHO cares?" have been placed in Tribune de Geneve, Switzerland's largest French-language newspaper, by Taiwan's Government Information Office, which is under the Executive Yuan.
The advertisements feature the Chinese character for love in white against a solid red background. The ads will appear in the newspaper for three days.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique