Japan's Sankei Shimbun newspaper said in yesterday's editorial that the spread of SARS around the world has highlighted the importance of admitting Taiwan to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The prestigious newspaper said China, which has persistently obstructed Taiwan's efforts to join the WHO, will benefit from Taiwan's participation in the organization.
China continued to obstruct Taiwan's bid to join the WHO even after Taiwan began in 1997 to ask for permission to attend the World Heath Assembly as an observer.
The exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO has given rise to human rights and humanitarian concerns, the editorial said. More than 80 Taiwanese people died from a contagious disease in 1989, deaths which could have been avoided if Taiwan were given assistance by the WHO, it claimed.
The editorial said that medical treatment and health services should not be limited by national boundaries and that health and politics should not be mixed. The principle of fair play is enshrined in the charter of WHO, it pointed out.
Many Japanese, American and European government and parliamentary leaders have voiced their support for Taiwan's bid to join the WHA as an observer, the editorial said.
If China gives up its objection to Taiwan's participation in the organization, it will be able to increase cross-strait exchanges and show the world that the Beijing leadership led by Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) is able to leave behind its rigid dogma and follow a more flexible political line, it added.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost