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Name game with world health body upsets lawmakers

Opposition lawmakers yesterday questioned a high-ranking foreign ministry official as to whether applying for observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA) under the name of "Taiwan" would enhance chances of success.

Members of the foreign-and-overseas-Chinese-affairs committee yesterday afternoon arranged an emergency meeting with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (高英茂) on Taipei's upcoming battle in Geneva to win observer status at the meeting of the WHA, the highest decision-making body of the WHO.

Defending the government's decision to apply for the first time under the name of "Taiwan," Kau said he was confident that applying under the country's formal designation of the "Republic of China" is more sensitive in political terms than applying under the name of "Taiwan."

"To apply under the name of `Taiwan' is not as politically sensitive as applying under the name `Republic of China,'" Kau assured lawmakers. "And we've obtained the US' understanding in this regard."

Opposition lawmakers did not agree.

"China would not agree ... Instead, China would regard the name `Taiwan' indicative of a move toward establishing a sovereign state," said Sisy Chen (陳文茜), an independent lawmaker.

Taiwan for the first time is to apply for observer status at the WHA as a "health entity" in what officials labeled a move to mitigate opposition from China and other countries in the country's six-year bid to join the body.

The government also decided to formally apply under the name of "Taiwan," a move that departs from previous applications since 1997, when the designations "Republic of China (ROC)" or "ROC (Taiwan)" were used.

"If the name `Taiwan' was feasible, why were we unable to enter APEC under the name of `Taiwan?'" Chen added.

Taipei entered APEC in 1991 together with China and Hong Kong under the name of "Chinese Taipei." KMT Legislator Sun Kauo-hwa (孫國華) urged Kau to ensure skeptics, who have seen the usage of the name of "Taiwan" for Taipei's WHA bid as a move toward Taiwan independence, that it was not the case.

"Can you say for sure that the use of the name `Taiwan' is not part of the move toward Taiwan independence?" Sun said.

Kau declined to answer Sun's question directly, saying only: "If some would have this kind of speculation, I would totally disagree with them."

Kau also said it's key to separate the politics from Taipei's WHO bid, which the government has advocated as a human-rights issue.

The US response to Taipei's bid focused on how many votes Taiwan would be able to garner instead of the name used for Taipei's bid, Kau said. Taiwan would need the support of at least half of the body's 191 members in its bid to become a WHA observer.

Kau, who departed yesterday evening for Geneva for the WHA meeting slated to run from May 13 to May 18, remained upbeat about the prospects of Taipei's initiatives this year.
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