An encounter between Taiwanese and Chinese delegations at the World Health Assembly (WHA) had not taken place as of at press time yesterday as Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延), who is heading the Taiwanese delegation, entered the Palace of Nations in Geneva for the opening of the conference.
Lin has said he would not go out of his way to arrange a meeting with the head of the Chinese delegation, but would greet him if the opportunity arose.
Li Bin (李斌), head of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, on Sunday did not respond to media queries on whether there would be any exchanges with the Taiwanese delegation.
Photo: CNA
The two delegations to the WHA conference, which opened at 9:30am yesterday, attracted attention because of the change of government in Taiwan and a controversy over the wording of the invitation to Taiwan this year.
For the first time since 2009, the invitation for Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer mentioned UN Resolution 2758, WHA Resolution 25.1 and the “one China” principle underlying the two documents.
Lin declined to respond to media queries on Sunday when asked about reports that he had been assigned to deliver a letter of protest to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) on the government’s behalf over the wording of the invitation.
Taiwanese civic groups on Sunday staged a protest near the venue of the WHA, calling for Taiwan to be made a full WHO member and to take part in all activities at the WHA conference.
Taiwan has been attending the WHA as an observer since 2009 under the name of Chinese Taipei, but can only attend the general assembly, Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance executive director Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉) said, adding that it was time Taiwan gained full membership.
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
The High Court yesterday found a New Taipei City woman guilty of charges related to helping Beijing secure surrender agreements from military service members. Lee Huei-hsin (李慧馨) was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法), making illegal compacts with government employees and bribery, the court said. The verdict is final. Lee, the manager of a temple in the city’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), was accused of arranging for eight service members to make surrender pledges to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in exchange for money, the court said. The pledges, which required them to provide identification
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Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
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