The attachment of UN Resolution No. 2758 on Taiwan’s invitation to the World Health Assembly (WHA) is WHO Director-General Margaret Chan’s (陳馮富珍) attempt to turn the organization into “China’s WHO,” Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan executive director Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉) said yesterday.
The WHO on Friday issued Taiwan an invitation to attend a May 23 meeting in Geneva. Unlike previous WHA invitations, it mentioned UN Resolution No. 2758, which was passed on Oct. 25, 1971, recognizing the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as “the only legitimate representative of China to the UN” and expelling representatives from the Republic of China (ROC).
Chan’s attempt leads to the to loss of the WHO’s neutrality, something that would not be permitted by other nations, Lin said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Medical Professionals Alliance chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民) yesterday said it would be better for the incoming Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government not to participate in the WHA rather than attend under the “one China” principle.
By choosing not to attend this year’s WHA, Taiwan can protest the WHO as well, Wu said.
Adding that it is “very odd” for the WHO to cite the “one China” principle on its invitation to Taiwan, Wu said the WHO, being an international organization, ought to be in service to all nations rather than submit to China’s control.
“Maybe future health minister Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延) could clarify the position of ‘one China, one Taiwan’ during his attendance of the WHA meeting,” Wu said.
If he cannot clarify the position, then the DPP government should not attend the meeting, Wu added.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
The age requirement for commercial pilots and airline transport pilots is to be lowered by two years, to 18 and 21 years respectively, to expand the pool of pilots in accordance with international standards, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced today. The changes are part of amendments to articles 93, 119 and 121 of the Regulations Governing Licenses and Ratings for Airmen (航空人員檢定給證管理規則). The amendments take into account age requirements for aviation personnel certification in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and EU’s aviation safety regulations, as well as the practical needs of managing aviation personnel licensing, the ministry said. The ministry
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