The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed gratitude to nine foreign representative offices in Taipei after they issued a joint statement backing Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHO and its inclusion as an observer in the World Health Assembly (WHA).
With the 79th WHA currently being held in Geneva, Switzerland, Taiwan has not been invited to participate for a 10th consecutive year.
In response to Taiwan’s continued exclusion, the Australian Office Taipei, British Office Taipei, Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, French Office in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Lithuanian Trade Representative Office, New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office, and the Polish Office in Taipei issued a joint statement of support yesterday.
Photo: AFP
The ministry thanked the like-minded nations for taking concrete action to firmly support Taiwan’s bid, saying the nation’s participation would benefit global health and urging the WHO to reject political interference.
Noting that Taiwan remains largely excluded from the international health system, the offices said in their statement that “infectious diseases and health hazards do not respect borders,” and “global cooperation is required to keep the whole world safe.”
“Taiwan is a highly capable, engaged and responsible member of the global health community and was invited to participate as an observer in WHA meetings from 2009 to 2016,” the statement said.
Taiwan’s “distinct capabilities and methods — including its significant public health expertise, democratic governance and advanced technology — bring considerable value that would inform the WHA’s deliberations,” it said.
Taiwan’s isolation from the WHA, the pre-eminent global health forum, is “entirely unjustified,” the offices said.
Such an exclusion “undermines inclusive global public health cooperation and security, which the world demands, and which is enshrined in the founding documents of the WHO,” they said.
“Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the fora and technical committees of the World Health Organization would bring benefits not just to people in Taiwan, but also around the world,” the statement said. “Only by including Taiwan as an observer would the WHO be able to fully exemplify the Health Assembly’s commitment to ‘Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility.’”
The ministry in a separate statement issued yesterday also welcomed a resolution passed by the European Parliament on Wednesday regarding the UN General Assembly to be held in New York in September.
The resolution, titled “Recommendation on the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly,” states that UN Resolution 2758 does not determine Taiwan’s sovereignty, nor does it even mention Taiwan, meaning it cannot be used as a pretext to exclude the nation from participating in international organizations.
Furthermore, the European Parliament called for enhanced EU support for Taiwan’s meaningful international participation and strongly opposed any unilateral changes to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea through force or coercion.
Additional reporting by CNA
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