The government will negotiate with the WHO if the nation is belittled during the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) integration process, Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) told reporters yesterday.
Responding to media reports that China is planning to belittle the nation’s sovereignty while Taiwan is being integrated into the IHR, Liu said the government was paying close attention to the integration process and would immediately seek negotiations with the WHO if this occurs.
The WHO notified Taiwan last month that it had been brought under the umbrella of the IHR, a legal framework under the WHO for global infectious disease control, Liu said, adding that the nation is establishing contacts and interaction with the WHO now that it is part of the global epidemic disease control and healthcare network.
“The procedures in the integration process have nothing to do with China,” Liu said, adding that the nation’s participation in the IHR mechanism is conducted through the WHO and does not need Beijing’s approval.
Things are going smoothly at the moment, Liu said, adding that the government would protect the nation’s sovereignty and interests at all costs during the integration process.
Liu said that the IHR is only one of the many mechanisms under the WHO and urged China not to obstruct the nation’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) — the executive arm of the WHO — as an observer.
“The government will continue to fight for Taiwan’s right to participate in the WHA and all of the WHO’s mechanisms and activities,” Liu said at the press conference.
He said that it was vital that Taiwan be allowed to protect the health and rights of its citizens.
Because of China’s opposition, the nation had previously been excluded from the IHR, even though a “universal application” phrase was introduced in the regulations in 2005 with the firm support of the US and Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, and after encouragement from the EU and Japan.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President