Taiwanese expatriates living in Italy resolved on Saturday to support Taiwan's bid to become a member of the WHO under the name "Taiwan."
At a colloquium hosted by Wu Hsiu-chi (
Speaking at the gathering, Cheng Hsin (
Cheng said that considering the WHO's mission to protect the health of everyone around the world, Taiwan has every right to seek membership.
He emphasized that all 23 million Taiwanese are entitled to good medical care, as are other populations around the world, and that the last thing Taiwanese would want is for Taiwan to be a "rift" in the global disease prevention network by being excluded.
Cheng added that China had blocked each of Taiwan's attempts over the past 10 years to join the World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO's decision-making body, as an observer.
He urged Taiwanese at home and abroad, as well as friends of Taiwan, to work together to realize the goal of Taiwan's accession to the WHO under the name "Taiwan" as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Chen Cang-fa (
He said he had observed Beijing's pressure on the WHO to bar Taiwan from becoming a member.
Chen said greater efforts were needed to make the international community aware of the problem of excluding 23 million people from the WHO and of the urgency of the issue.
Also speaking at the colloquium, Chen Tai-ming (
As a "great nation," China should treat its neighbors well, particularly Taiwan, which is like a brother to China, Chen Tai-ming said.
He said Taiwan's bid to join the WHO under the name "Taiwan" might seem impossible at this point, but that people should be unrelenting. He said that as long as they struggle, they exist, as long as they exist, they have strength.
He also said he was confident Taiwan would eventually succeed in its bid.
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