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Latest NewsMinistry of Foreign Affairs condemns China for blocking a proposal concerning Taiwan's WHA observer status at the WHO Executive Board meetingJun 28, 2006 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns China for maneuvering its political clout to block a proposal concerning Taiwan's observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA) during the 117th Session of the WHO Executive Board held from January 23-27 in Geneva. China's latest blockage of Taiwan's WHA participation comes at a time when global disease-prevention cooperation is desperately needed to contain the increasingly rapid spread of avian flu. The Ministry is protesting to the WHO, and regrets that by not including the proposal in favor of Taiwan in the provisional agenda of the 59th WHA session, scheduled for May, they are not abiding by the WHA Rules of Procedure. The proposal was submitted to the WHO Secretariat by Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It was presented as a request to include an item entitled “Invitation to Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an Observer and consideration of adequate measures to facilitate its meaningful participation in relevant meetings and disease control mechanisms of the World Health Organization” on the provisional agenda for the WHA session in May. According to Rule 5(d) of the WHA Rules of Procedure, the Executive Board was obliged to include the item on the WHA provisional agenda. Yet owing to China's manipulation, the Executive Board decided not to include the item in the WHA provisional agenda in May this year. During the session, one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, Belize, launched a strong protest against the Executive Board for violating the WHA Rules of Procedure, and emphasized that it would seek other opportunities to re-submit the same proposal. This is the second time in recent weeks that China has suppressed Taiwan's effort in taking part in the global health community. Earlier this month, China also refused to invite Taiwan to send representatives to the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza, held January 17-18 in Beijing. Now once again, China is dismissing the right to health and welfare of the 23 million people of Taiwan. The pressure it exerted on the Executive Board and the WHO Secretariat reveals yet again that the Chinese regime holds the outrageous belief that “politics transcends life and is more important than health.” China's move against Taiwan's WHA participation also shows the hypocrisy of its policy toward Taiwan. Why make a very visible offer of goodwill toward Taiwan with two lovely pandas, yet stifle the basic health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan? The Ministry also urges the Taiwanese people and the international community to open their eyes to this hypocrisy. This policy is one that will not be helpful to the long-term and positive development of cross-Strait relations. Despite this latest setback in its WHA participation, Taiwan's indispensable role in global disease prevention is widely recognized. At a time of a potentially rapid spread of avian flu, isolating Taiwan from the WHA is risking the health of the whole world by deliberately endangering the health of the Taiwanese people. Taiwan will not give up its right to participate in, and contribute to, the WHA and other existing networks for global disease-prevention. Taiwan will stand proud and continue with its rightful requests for its WHA participation at the forthcoming 59th Session of the WHA in May. On behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to express its heartfelt appreciation to our diplomatic allies Belize, Honduras and Nicaragua, and our other friendly allies, for their assistance and support in persisting to address the health needs of the Taiwanese people. (E) Original Source: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,REPUBLIC OF CHINA |
