Taiwan should join the World Health Organization (WHO) under its own name rather than "Taiwan, China," which would downgrade it into a part of China's territory, the head of a private think tank said yesterday.
At a seminar organized by the Taiwan New Century Foundation on ways of participating in the WHO, foundation president Chen Lung-chu (
Taiwan, however, should not accept any name that suggests it is a part of China for membership in the WHO; rather, it should insist on a name that reflects its status as an independent country separate from China, Chen said.
The first choice for Taiwan, of course, would be to join as a full member. Since that is impossible as only UN members can enjoy this status, the next choice is to participate in the organization as an observer under the name of the Republic of China (ROC), Chen said.
"Taiwan, China," which indicates that Taiwan is a part of China, is not a viable option, Chen said.
Citing the WHO's promise during World Health Day on April 7 to make every mother and child count, Chen said the promise will never be delivered with Taiwan excluded from the WHO.
Taiwan will try for the ninth time in a row to have its observership bid in the World Health Assembly (WHA) put on the assembly's agenda for discussion at its annual conference on May 16 in Geneva.
For the ROC to join the WHA as an observer, a majority in the assembly must support such a motion.
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