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FAQ

Q1. Why should Taiwan participate in inter-governmental organizations (IGOs)?

Q2. What is the current status of Taiwan's participation in inter-governmental organizations?

Q3. Why does Taiwan want to participate in the United Nations (UN)?

Q4. What strategies has Taiwan adopted to seek participation in the United Nations (UN)?

Q5. What are some of the obstacles Taiwan is facing abroad and at home in its UN bid and how can they be overcome?

Q6. What has Taiwan contributed to support its bid for participating in the WHO?

Q7. In the face of the emerging threat posed by the avian influenza, why is it vital that Taiwan participate in the WHO?

Q8. What is Taiwan's relationship with various inter-governmental financial organizations?

Q1.  Why should Taiwan participate in inter-governmental organizations (IGOs)?

Answer:
With the development of globalization, most of the emerging issues in the world have become transnational. The solutions of important problems related to security, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, economic, trade and customs affairs, health, drug abuse, terrorism, money laundering, organized crime, environmental protection and the conservation of bio-diversity require the concerted efforts of all countries. The absence of Taiwan in these efforts constitutes a gap in international cooperative efforts.

Q2. What is the current status of Taiwan's participation in inter-governmental organizations?

Answer:
According to the latest version of the Yearbook of International Organizations, 2003-2004, issued by the Union of International Associations, there are 974 major and active inter-governmental organizations. Because of China's obstruction over the last 20 years, Taiwan has been denied participation in most of these inter-governmental organizations. However, facing this “political apartheid,” Taiwan has adopted a flexible policy in terms of its name and status of participation in international organizations, with the ultimate principle of “survival first, development second, let Taiwan step out and be seen.” Of all the above inter-governmental organizations and their sub-committees, Taiwan is, currently, associated with 44, with full membership in 26, and observer status or associate membership in 18.

Q3. Why does Taiwan want to participate in the United Nations (UN)?

Answer:
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 2758 (XXVI) on 25 October 1971, which admitted the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the UN. This resolution did not address the issue of the representation of the 23 million people of Taiwan in the UN. Unfortunately, resolution 2758 (XXVI) has subsequently been misused by China and some UN officials to exclude Taiwan from other international organizations. This not only violates the fundamental right of the 23 million people of Taiwan to participate in the international affairs, but also prevents Taiwan from making more contributions to international cooperation.  This situation must be redressed.
The UN, since its establishment 60 years ago, has become a universal organization with much influence on international affairs.  The activities regulated by the UN are of great concern to the government and people of Taiwan since they have great impact on the rights of the people of Taiwan and the sustainable development of Taiwan.  Therefore, Taiwan must make every effort to participate in the UN.

Q4. What strategies has Taiwan adopted to seek participation in the United Nations (UN)?

Answer:
Taiwan's UN campaign is spearheaded by proposals presented by its diplomatic allies to the UN General Assembly, requesting that the fundamental right of the 23 million people of Taiwan to participate in the UN be respected and secured. Taiwan does not intend to challenge the status or interests of any existing UN member states. Taiwan is always pragmatic and flexible when it comes to how it should participate in the UN. We hope that the UN could serve as a platform on which the two sides of the Taiwan Strait could exchange and cooperate with each other. It is also hoped that the two sides could work hand in hand internationally to promote the well-being of the people of both sides of the Strait on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
In accord with the current atmosphere, in which the international community hopes that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait could engage in a peaceful dialogue, the government of Taiwan adopted a new strategy of “presenting two proposals” in 2005. These proposals were presented with a view to urging the international community to pay more attention on the issue of peace in the Taiwan Strait. In addition to the original proposal entitled “The question of the representation of the twenty-three million people of Taiwan in the United Nations,” another proposal (a “peace proposal”), entitled “A proactive role for the United Nations in maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait,” was also submitted to the UN General Assembly by Taiwan's diplomatic allies. Taiwan's UN campaign last year was not without difficulties; however, there were many positive responses from home and abroad. In particular, the plausible arguments of the “peace proposal” were almost universally acknowledged because they corresponded with the concerns of the mainstream of the international community.

Q5. What are some of the obstacles Taiwan is facing abroad and at home in its UN bid and how can they be overcome?

Answer:
Due to China's intransigent opposition and other countries' fears of China's retaliation, Taiwan has not made substantial progress in its UN bid; however, the determination and confidence of Taiwan's 23 million people to participate in the UN can never be suppressed
As a democratically elected government, the government of Taiwan must be responsible to its people and must continue campaigning to participate in the UN. If the international situation does not undergo fundamental changes in the future, it is unrealistic to expect China to change its rigid position of suppressing Taiwan in the international arena. While continuing to seek the opportunity to reconcile and cooperate with China on an equal footing, Taiwan will endeavor continuously to obtain more understanding and support from the international community in support of its UN bid.

Q6. What has Taiwan contributed to support its bid for participating in the WHO?

Answer:

1.From 1995 to 2004, Taiwan donated over US$233 million in medical assistance and provided humanitarian relief to 78 countries spanning 5 continents. As of March 2005, Taiwan had had 36 long-term technical missions stationed in 30 partner countries; among these, 4 Taiwanese medical teams are currently stationed in Burkina Faso, Malawi, Chad and São Tomé and Principe. Taiwan's vibrant NGOs have also made substantial contributions to the same end.

2.In the aftermath of the severe earthquake that hit Indonesia and the deadly tsunami that devastated neighbouring countries, including Thailand, the Maldives, the Seychelles Islands and even Madagascar, the government of Taiwan donated US$50 million to assist the affected countries with their relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work. Taiwan's private sector also collected donations worth more than US$150 million.

3.Taiwan has at times sent disease prevention teams abroad in collaboration with international humanitarian relief efforts. Its team for post-tsunami relief work in South Asia is one example. Taiwan is also engaged in several international disease-related cooperation projects, including an operational plan for malaria control in Sao Tome and Principe; establishment of Asia's largest flavivirus study center to fight Dengue Fever/DHF outbreaks; and HIV/AIDS control projects in Chad, Malawi and Haiti. Most recently, Taiwan sent a team of 5 experts to Sao Tome and Principe to help fight cholera. Taiwan is eager to participate in and contribute to global disease prevention and control cooperation.

4.Since launching its bid for participation in the WHO in 1997, Taiwan has made many pragmatic efforts with a dignified and open-minded attitude. It has continued explaining to the international community that Taiwan, as a way to express its goodwill, only requests to participate in the WHA in an observer capacity. Taiwan hopes to obtain more support for this goal from those countries without diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

5.It goes without saying that “Disease knows no borders.” Certainly, the world cannot afford to allow a gap in the global disease prevention and control network. Taiwan's participation in the WHO is not only necessary for the protection of the health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan, but also for the completeness of the global disease prevention and control mechanism. This is an issue concerning human rights, humanity and health, not politics.

6.As the threat of avian influenza attracts serious attention in the international community, it is becoming more imperative and urgent than ever to formally incorporate Taiwan in the WHO system. Otherwise, the inherent health rights of Taiwan's population cannot be safeguarded, and a dangerous gap in the global disease prevention and control network would occur as well.

7.Taiwan will continue to promote bilateral and multilateral health cooperation projects to demonstrate to the international community that it is able and willing to contribute to international health cooperation and the global disease prevention and control network. Among other things, Taiwan has been working actively to establish the “Taiwan International Health Action” (TaiwanIHA) to integrate its professional expertise, facilities and funding with a view to assisting the development of the medical and health infrastructures of developing countries. It also intends to provide more humanitarian or medical relief assistance to countries in need.

8.In addition to its bid for observer status in the WHA, Taiwan also hopes to participate in more WHO technical meetings in a dignified and formalized manner; to establish a partnership with the “Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network” (GOARN) and other international disease prevention and control mechanisms; and to participate in the IHR 2005 mechanism in an appropriate capacity.

Q7. In the face of the emerging threat posed by the avian influenza, why is it vital that Taiwan participate in the WHO?

Answer:

1.Due to its unique geographic location, Taiwan is vulnerable to the spread of avian influenza. Taiwan's inadequate interactions with the WHO have resulted in a critical gap in the international disease prevention and control network. The following statistics demonstrate the importance of Taiwan's status in the war against avian influenza.

(1)Taiwan is one of the most important transportation hubs in the western Pacific region. The Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) covers 13 major international flight routes and four domestic routes in operation. It provides about 1.5 million controlled flight services to more than 20 million passengers annually.

(2)The volume of visitor exchange between Taiwan and China is very high, and there have been several human avian influenza cases in China. The number of people from Taiwan visiting China reached 3.4 million in 2004, while the number of people from China visiting Taiwan was approximately 72,000.

(3)Taiwan has a huge number of visitors and a great volume of cargo exchanges with Southeast Asian countries. Taiwan currently employs more than 315,000 foreign workers from Southeast Asia. In 2004, the number of people from Taiwan visiting Southeast Asian countries exceeded 1.43 million, while the number of people from Southeast Asian countries visiting Taiwan was approximately 570,000.

(4)Taiwan is an important transit point or residential area for migratory birds. There are approximately 1.25 million migratory birds of 351 species that annually pass through Taiwan or reside in Taiwan in the winter season.

(5)Smuggled birds also undermine Taiwan's disease prevention efforts. On October 14th last year, 1037 smuggled pet birds were discovered aboard a vessel from China. Among the 46 birds randomly selected for tests, 8 were found H5N1 positive.

2.Taiwan completed in 2004 a plan of national preparedness for a potential outbreak of pandemic influenza. However, it is regrettable that Taiwan still cannot be closely integrated into international disease prevention and control mechanisms. This seriously undermines the effectiveness of Taiwan's disease prevention efforts.

3.In order to protect the health rights of the people of Taiwan, and to contribute to international cooperation in disease prevention and control, Taiwan has been actively seeking to participate in relevant meetings and international disease prevention mechanisms, such as the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN); the Global Influenza Program (GIP); and the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI). Taiwan needs the staunch support of the international community.

Q8. What is Taiwan's relationship with various inter-governmental financial organizations?

Answer:
Taiwan has been actively participating in regional inter-governmental financial organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Southeast Asian Central Banks (SEACEN).  Among these organizations, Taiwan is a member of the ADB, CABEI and SEACEN.  In addition, Taiwan has maintained close and substantial working relationships with the EBRD and the IDB through various joint projects and by participating in annual meetings.