The "first priority" for Taiwan in this year's bid to participate at the WHO -- the nation's 12th attempt to join the world body -- will be to seek observer status in the World Health Assembly (WHA), Government Information Office Minister Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said.
The strategic goal, however, doesn't mean that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has decided to pull back from its demand for full WHO membership this year, Shieh said yesterday.
"For this year, at least, Taiwan will be applying to become an observer at the WHA, but whether we will propose a bid for member status in the WHO is still under deliberation," Shieh said, adding that the Presidential Office has yet to finalize its strategy.
He said that putting the bid for WHA observership -- and not WHO membership -- as the "first priority" in this year's campaign was a "practical" way to try to take part in the world body.
The name the country should use to apply for WHA membership also remained to be determined, Shieh said.
In related news, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday it was still seeking consensus from all sides on the bid.
Ministry Spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (
"So far, no strategy has been decided on. We will move forward after consulting all parties," she said.
The timing of this year's WHO bid is sensitive, as many view it as China's first gesture to express its satisfaction with president-elect Ma Ying-jeou's (
The Republic of China (ROC) was one of the founding members of the health organization, but was forced to forfeit its seat in 1972 after the ROC left the UN.
The government has been trying to re-enter the WHO since 1997.
The bid has been repeatedly sabotaged by Beijing, which claims that Taiwan does not deserve a place at the WHA because it falls under China's health jurisdiction.
In 2006, Taiwan made a bid for "meaningful participation" in the WHO which, according to MOFA and Department of Health Minister Hou Sheng-mou (
Last year, the government pushed the envelope by applying for WHO membership under the name "Taiwan."
The move sparked criticism from the US, which said it would not support Taiwan's participation in international organizations that require statehood.
American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Burghardt re-iterated that position last week, saying the US was not expected to depart from its policy of supporting observer status for Taiwan, but opposes actual membership.
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