The government will fight for the country’s right to participate in the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on an equal footing with other member states, despite the downgrading of Taiwan’s membership status, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said yesterday.
Yeh said Taiwan, as a member of the OIE, has the right to take part in OIE affairs and activities and will send a delegation to attend the General Session of the OIE’s International Committee taking place from Sunday to Friday in Paris.
Yeh dismissed the OIE’s decision to downgrade Taiwan’s membership status to the level of a “non-sovereign regional member” as illegitimate, adding there was no such category in the OIE charter.
Under pressure from China, members of the Paris-based OIE voted in May last year in favor of a resolution asking Taiwan to continue its participation in the OIE as a “non-sovereign regional member” under the title “Chinese Taipei.”
Taiwan gained accession to the OIE in 1954 under the name, “Republic of China (Taiwan),” but was forced to change its title to “Taipei China” after Beijing was admitted to the organization in 1992.
In an attempt to push the OIE to make further concessions on Taiwan’s title, China refused to participate in OIE activities.
To try to resolve the problem, the OIE International Committee adopted a resolution in 2003 to change Taiwan’s membership name from “Taipei China” to “Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.”
Taiwan agreed to the new designation, but China refused to take part in the final vote on the issue.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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