US and Taiwanese officials have held talks on expanding Taiwan’s participation in international bodies, including “opportunities” for the nation to attend a major WHO meeting next month.
Taiwan is excluded from most global organizations due to objections from China. In particular, Taipei has said that its exclusion from the WHO hampered efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US Department of State said in a statement on Friday that the meeting took place in Washington between high-level diplomats, including Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison.
Photo: Reuters
“This discussion focused on opportunities for Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly in May, and the possibilities for Taiwan’s participation at the International Civil Aviation Organization,” it said, referring to another UN body.
Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly, the WHO’s decisionmaking body, as an observer from 2009 to 2016, when relations between Taipei and Beijing were warmer.
However, China blocked further participation after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May 2016.
The G7 has backed calls for Taiwan’s participation at the WHO.
China and the WHO have previously said that Taiwan was provided appropriate access to information about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taiwan and the US also discussed Taiwan possibly contributing to other multilateral forums via membership or “meaningful participation,” the state department said.
“All participants recognized the importance of working closely with all those who share our concerns regarding attempts to exclude Taiwan from contributing its expertise, resources, energy and generosity to the international community,” it said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed its gratitude, saying the high-level working group meeting was held in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, and showed the US’ “rock-solid” friendship and support for Taiwan.
The meeting recognized Taiwan’s constructive role in multinational cooperation in the post-pandemic era, and showed that Washington would continue to assist Taipei to expand its international presence and push critical global agendas, the ministry said.
Taiwan would continue to work with like-minded countries such as the US to help maintain the international order and strengthen regional cooperation, it added.
Additional reporting by CNA
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS