The signing into law by U.S. President Joe Biden May 13 of a bill directing the secretary of state to develop a strategy to assist Taiwan in regaining observer status in the World Health Organization is sincerely appreciated by the government and people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the following day.
According to the legislation, Taiwan remains a model contributor to world health, having provided financial and technical assistance in response to numerous related challenges over the years. These include the Ebola crisis, as well as MERS, dengue fever and Zika, which Taiwan has helped tackle in joint efforts under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, it added.
Diseases know no borders, and Taiwan’s needless exclusion from global health cooperation increases the dangers presented by pandemics, the legislation said.
Since taking office in January 2021, the Biden administration has been actively supporting a greater role for Taiwan in international affairs, the MOFA said, citing the statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last October urging U.N. member states to support Taiwan’s robust participation in the global system.
This positive development is especially significant in the lead up to the 75th World Health Assembly—the decision-making body of the WHO—set for later this month and once again underscores the strong support by both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S., the MOFA added.
Building on this solid foundation, the government will continue working with the U.S. and other like-minded partners to bolster world health, the ministry said.
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “Our sincere thanks to @POTUS for signing S. 812 into law. The initiative, which has bipartisan, bicameral support, directs @SecBlinken to develop a strategy to regain observer status for #Taiwan in the @WHO & for other purposes.” (SFC-E)
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