The US House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation calling on the US Department of State to submit a plan to help Taiwan regain its observer status at the WHO, seeking to boost the nation as it faces pressure from China.
The bill, introduced by US Senator Bob Menendez and which cleared the Senate in August last year, “directs the secretary of state to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes.”
With the House and Senate passing the same bill, it has been sent to US President Joe Biden to sign it into law.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
The measure directs the US secretary of state to establish a strategy for obtaining observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decisionmaking body of the WHO.
Taiwan was stripped of that status in 2017.
Urging support for the bill, US Representative Gerry Connolly praised Taiwan’s COVID-19 response, saying that for much of the pandemic it had relatively few cases despite a population of 23.5 million, and that it shared expertise and donated protective equipment internationally.
Photo: AFP
“Taiwan’s leadership and contribution to global health security demonstrate why it ought to be part of the general conversation on public health,” he said.
He added that the passage of this bill, ahead of the WHA meeting next month, “would not only be timely, it would also demonstrate the strong, bipartisan, bicameral commitment the US Congress has to our democratic friend, Taiwan.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude for the US’ support, saying that the government is continuing its efforts to participate at the WHO this year.
Taiwan has raised its alert level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, wary that Beijing might make a similar move, although it has reported no signs that it is about to happen.
Similar concerns have fueled efforts in the US to support Taiwan, such as increasing its participation in international organizations such as the WHO.
Taiwan — previously granted WHA observer status from 2009 to 2016 under the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government due to warmer cross-strait relations, which offered limited access to WHO technical briefings, mechanisms and activities — has been denied such participation in the years since, due to Beijing’s objections since the Democratic Progressive Party came to power in May 2016.
The 75th WHA meeting is scheduled to take place from May 22 to 28.
Additional reporting by CNA
THREATS: Naval facilities have been built in Shanghai and Zhejiang, while airbases have been expanded in Xiamen, Fuzhou and Zhangpu, across the Strait from Taiwan The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is building large-scale military infrastructure at five sites along the eastern coast of China, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in a recent report. The latest issue of the council’s Mainland China Situation Quarterly said satellite photos showed military infrastructure such as air force and naval bases being constructed along the eastern coast of China. That means the CCP might be preparing for potential conflict in Taiwan, it said, adding that there are five such construction sites from north to south. A naval base has been built in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, with underground oil storage tanks, railway
MILESTONE: The foreign minister called the signing ‘a major step forward in US-Taiwan relations,’ while the Presidential Office said it was a symbol of the nations’ shared values US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which requires the US Department of State to regularly review and update guidelines governing official US interactions with Taiwan. The new law is an amendment to the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 focused on reviewing guidelines on US interactions with Taiwan. Previously, the state department was required to conduct a one-time review of its guidance governing relations with Taiwan, but under the new bill, the agency must conduct a review “not less than every five years.” It must then submit an updated report based on its findings “not later
A trial run of the north concourse of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s new Terminal 3 is to commence today, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The eight additional boarding gates would allow for more aircraft parking spaces that are expected to boost the airport’s capacity by 5.8 million passengers annually, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-shian (林國顯) said. The concourse, designed by a team led by British architect Richard Rogers, provides a refreshing space, Lin said, adding that travelers would enjoy the tall and transparent design that allows sunshine to stream into the concourse through glass curtain walls. The
The Presidential Office today thanked the US for enacting the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which requires the US Department of State to regularly review and update guidelines governing official US interactions with Taiwan. The new law, signed by US President Donald Trump yesterday, is an amendment to the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 focused on reviewing guidelines on US interactions with Taiwan. Previously, the department was required to conduct a one-time review of its guidance governing relations with Taiwan, but under the new bill, the agency must conduct such a review "not less than every five years." It must then submit an updated
RSS