The US, Japan and three other countries have added their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO at an ongoing meeting of the world body’s executive board in Geneva, Switzerland.
US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs Deputy Director Colin McIff on Monday urged the WHO during the meeting to allow Taiwan to participate in relevant technical activities.
“As the WHO leads the global response to health emergency, including the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of [the] Congo, it is critical that the organization be able to engage the technical expertise and financial resources from all interested parties,” McIff said.
Photo: AP
The US was pleased when Taiwan offered to contribute US$1 million to combat Ebola last year, but was disappointed that the WHO has not found a way to accept the contribution, McIff said.
The government last month suspended the donation it pledged in May last year, after the WHO convention secretariat was unable to credit Taiwan in a way that it would find acceptable due to “political factors.”
The “participation of Taiwan in relevant technical work of WHO is beneficial to all,” McIff said.
Supporting Taiwan in an indirect manner, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Senior Coordinator for Global Health Hiroyuki Hori called on the WHO to refrain from leaving anyone behind.
“As the world has become more globalized and the threat of infectious diseases that may spread beyond borders has become increasing, we assume that we should not make a geographical blank by leaving a specific region behind,” Hori told the meeting.
Meanwhile, three of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies also advocated for Taiwan’s cause at the meeting, despite the nation’s decision not to push for a formal proposal advocating for its inclusion in the WHO at this year’s meeting.
Solomon Islands Ambassador to the UN Barrett Salato told members of the executive board that millions of people in Taiwan could be vulnerable in the event of an outbreak, which could pose threats to people from other nations.
“Taiwan is a willing partner... We urge the WHO to invite Taiwan to participate meaningfully in all WHO meetings and programs in order to share its technical expertise and experience in global health emergency and humanitarian efforts,” Salato said.
Guatemala’s representative thanked Taiwan for expanding its cooperation with his country on healthcare and medicine accessibility for pregnant women, while Nicaragua’s representative said that the absence of representation for Taiwan’s 23 million people in the WHO could cause a vulnerability in the global health network.
Their support followed similar gestures by Taiwan’s diplomatic allies Eswatini, Haiti and Paraguay at an executive board meeting on Saturday.
Taiwan was able to attend the annual World Health Assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016, when cross-strait relations were more amicable, but it has not received an invitation for two consecutive years.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
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
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source