The Formosa Club and 926 lawmakers from 29 countries signed a letter advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and all WHO meetings, mechanisms and activities, as the 76th WHA began yesterday.
Formosa Club cochairs and members, along with lawmakers from the European Parliament and parliaments of 28 European countries and Canada, jointly signed the letter sent on Friday.
The Formosa Club, inaugurated in 2019, is a platform for cross-party European and Canadian legislators to work to enhance relations with Taipei and connect Taiwan with the world.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance
The signatories urged WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer in the WHA, the letter said.
Taiwan notified the WHO of suspicious cases of “atypical pneumonia” when most of the world was still unaware of COVID-19 and “impressed the world with its effective and resourceful control of the virus,” it said.
The nation also donated masks and medical supplies to more than 80 countries around the world during the early stage of the pandemic, when global supply chains were overwhelmed by the sudden spike in demand for epidemic prevention equipment, it said.
Photo: Screenshot from livestream
Taiwan’s success in combating the pandemic “demonstrated its capabilities and willingness to contribute to international public health,” it said.
“A comprehensive public health network cannot tolerate any breaches,” it said.
Taiwan also joined the international community in providing timely assistance to Ukrainian refugees, donating 27 tonnes of medical supplies and more than 700 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance
Taiwan also donated more than US$41 million to Ukraine’s neighboring countries to help settle refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion and a further US$2 million to three Ukrainian cities to help provide relief during the winter months, it said.
“Our collective efforts and solidarity remain essential if we are to uphold the universal values of freedom and democracy, and the rules-based international order,” it said.
Including Taiwan in the WHO system would help realize its goal of “health for all,” but failing to do so would be “unjust,” it said.
Taiwan’s exclusion would not only be detrimental to the health rights of Taiwanese, but also “denies the international community the opportunity of benefiting from Taiwan’s contributions,” it said.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday on Twitter thanked the lawmakers for the letter, and asked Tedros: “Why not just let Taiwan help?”
Despite strong support from democratic allies around the world, Taiwan as of yesterday has not been invited to participate in this year’s assembly for the sixth consecutive year.
The WHA is to run until Tuesday in Geneva.
Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元), who is leading a mission to Switzerland, held a news conference yesterday conveying Taiwan’s wish to participate in the WHO.
He also expressed regret and dissatisfaction that Taiwan has been excluded from taking part due to political interference.
The Republic of China was expelled from the WHO in 1972 after losing its UN seat to the People’s Republic of China over the issue of China’s representation.
Since then, Taiwan has not been able to attend the WHA due to objections by China, except from 2009 to 2016, when it was invited as an observer under the name “Chinese Taipei” during the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration.
Additional reporting by staff writer and CNA
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS