The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday insisted that Taiwan's participation at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May had not been jeopardized even though the WHO had rejected its request to be an observer at the annual Executive Board meeting that began yesterday.
A Central News Agency (CNA) report from Geneva yesterday said that Taiwan failed to secure an observer position in the Executive Board meeting, which is held each January to discuss the agenda for May's assembly.
MOFA spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) confirmed the news, but stressed that Taiwan's exclusion from the Executive Board meeting would have no effect on its observer status at the WHA.
“We are always seeking more participation in as many WHO-related events as possible. We did pitch the request to be an observer in the Executive Board meeting in November, but the request was denied,” he said.
The only two WHA observers permitted to listen in on the meeting this year are the Holy See and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, CNA said.
The Department of Health said the “time is not yet ripe” for Taiwan to join the meeting as an observer, but pledged it would continue to work toward the goal to increase Taiwan's involvement in the WHO.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
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