A total 172 members of U.S. Congress backed Taiwan’s bid for observer status in the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, in a letter sent May 16 to WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“We … strongly urge you to allow Taiwan’s unconditional inclusion in participating as an observer in this year’s 71st WHA, and in future annual and technical meetings,” the members of Congress said. “Taiwan … has been an important participant in global efforts to prevent, monitor, contain, and treat infectious diseases, and has demonstrated its good global citizenship through humanitarian efforts both within the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.”
Last year the WHO withheld its invitation for Taiwan to participate in the 70th WHA, the members of Congress said. “With this action, the WHO became complicit in Beijing’s campaign to keep Taiwan out of meaningful participation in assemblies like these.”
According to the members of Congress, the decision in 2017 to withhold Taiwan’s invitation to the WHA after eight consecutive years of attendance as an observer violated the spirit of a key principle set forth in the preamble of the WHO constitution. This states that the “health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent on the fullest co-operation of individuals and states.
“Global health and safety should not be held hostage to China’s political objectives,” the members of Congress said. “We are all safer when Taiwan has meaningful and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation fora.”
The members of Congress said restoring Taiwan’s participation at the upcoming WHA and in the work of the WHO, which was created to serve all of humanity, is strongly urged. “The known and emerging health challenges we face are far too important to exclude valuable partners like Taiwan.”
In an early morning tweet May 17 on its official Twitter page, the MOFA expressed its sincere thanks to the members of Congress and said “Your letter spotlights @WHO complicity in #China’s drive to delete #Taiwan from intl community. We urge @DrTedros to stop doing Beijing’s bidding in suppressing a democracy. Invite Taiwan to #WHA71.”
Later in the day, the MOFA released an official statement in which it said the government and people of Taiwan are deeply grateful to the members of Congress led by Reps. Ed Royce and Eliot Engel for their unwavering assistance and support. More global partners are urged to call on the WHO to invite Taiwan to attend in an equal and dignified manner the WHA May 21-26 in Geneva, as well as other activities and meetings of the WHO, the ministry added.
According to the MOFA, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to be joined by several of his colleagues in issuing a letter calling on Ghebreyesus to invite Taiwan to the WHA. (SFC-E)
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