The Formosan Medical Association and other medical groups are pushing for Taiwan to take part in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an official member and not just an observer.
US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Brian McKeon on Friday urged WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to grant Taiwan observer status when the WHA, the decisonmaking body of the WHO, meets next month.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very active in connecting with the international community, which has praised Taiwan’s pandemic response,” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator and physician Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said on Saturday. “The government should leverage this in its efforts to get into the WHA.”
Photo: AFP / WHO / Christopher Black
Support has been expressed within the World Medical Association for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA and WHO, Chiu said, adding that the World Medical Association passed a resolution on the issue at an assembly last year.
The Taiwan Association of Family Medicine, the International College of Surgeons’ Taiwan Section and other Taiwanese medical organizations could also be instrumental in garnering support for Taiwan’s efforts to be an observer at the WHA, given the organizations’ strong international ties, he said.
“More than 20 of these organizations are to hold a joint press conference before the WHA,” Chiu said. “The Formosan Medical Association also plans to hold an international seminar on the sidelines of this year’s assembly to connect with doctors from around the world.”
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community has became aware of China’s obstruction of Taiwan at the WHA, and more people are beginning to speak up for Taiwan, Chiu said, adding that Taiwan needs those voices in the international community to speak on its behalf.
The issue of Taiwan’s participation could be brought up each year in January when the WHO Executive Board meets to decide the yearly agenda for the WHA, he added.
Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan director Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉) said that the support of allies and like-minded nations is crucial to Taiwan achieving observer status at the WHA.
From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan participated as an observer in the WHA under the name “Chinese Taipei” when relations between Taipei and Beijing were better. Since 2017, the WHO has refused to invite Taiwan to attend the assembly due to opposition from China.
Additional reporting by CNA
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS