The staunch support of the country’s diplomatic allies and like-minded partners for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, is greatly appreciated, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the Wuhan coronavirus, diplomatic allies Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia, as well as like-minded partners in Canada, Japan, the EU and the U.S., reiterated the importance of Taiwan’s contributions and engagement to global health and disease combatting networks.
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner urged WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a joint letter cosigned by Sens. Marco Rubio, James Inhofe, John Cornyn, Mitt Romney, Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton Jan. 31 to grant Taiwan observer status in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the global body. “Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHO is an act of aggression that harms the international public health community’s ability to coordinate effectively,” he said, adding that the time has come for the country to be allowed to lend its considerable expertise toward prevention and containment efforts.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also spoke up for Taiwan’s participation. Preventing further spread of the new coronavirus will be exponentially harder if Taiwan is excluded for political reasons, he said.
On behalf of the EU, European External Action Service spokeswoman Virginie Battu-Henriksson said the organization will continue to seek practical solutions for including Taiwan whenever its technical prowess and capacity can provide additional value.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed support after statements by Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland and former health minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor. “We believe that Taiwan’s role as an observer in WHA meetings is in the best interest of the international health community, and also it is an important partner in the fight against this epidemic,” he said.
Other leaders, representatives and groups speaking in support of Taiwan include St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet; St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Brantley; Belize Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington; Haiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Bocchit Edmond; the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala and Paraguay; the Central American Integration System; and the Central American Parliament.
Taiwan participated in the annual WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016. The country is excluded from the 73rd edition running May 17-21 in Geneva at the request of the Chinese authorities. (YCH-E)
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