President Chen Shui-bian (
The WHO charter stipulates that membership is open to all countries, not just those in the UN. For Chen to use his position as head of state and representative of Taiwan's 23 million people to apply for membership is an extremely important first step in the nation's bid to join the WHO. Not only does it highlight that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation, but it also makes it clear that Taiwan wants to participate fully in the WHO, and that it is willing and determined to contribute to improving the health of all the world's people.
In consideration of its fundamental and long-term interests, this is the correct course for Taiwan to pursue. This is not the same as applying to be an observer in the World Health Assembly (WHA), which is a sub-organization of the WHO. The benefits of applying to be a full WHO member are far greater than becoming a WHA observer.
Official WHO members enjoy full rights within the organization, whereas observers are more like an audience in a meeting whose participation is greatly limited. Only official members have the right to make proposals, speak and participate. Only they have the right to vote on WHO policies and initiatives, or have people elected to important positions.
All WHO members are countries, whereas that is not necessarily true of observers. Fighting for an observer spot could easily mislead the international community into thinking that Taiwan is not an independent and sovereign nation.
As all this shows, WHO membership is open to all countries. Applicants need a simple majority of votes from WHO members to gain entrance, the same as those applying for WHA observer status. In terms of procedural difficulties, applying to the WHO is no more difficult than applying to the WHA.
Taiwan's biggest obstacle is Chinese opposition. In the past 10 years, Taiwan has humbled itself by applying for observer status in the WHA in order to avoid controversy over its sovereignty dispute with China. Beijing, however, has not responded positively, instead continuing to arrogantly insist Taiwan is a part of China and is not qualified to become a WHO member or WHA observer.
But international law and the plain facts show that Taiwan and China are two unconnected countries, each with its own jurisdiction. Therefore Taiwan wants to apply for WHO membership as a sovereign nation, not for WHA observer status as a "health entity."
In the past we sought to become WHA observers, but we have now entered a new stage of actively pursuing full WHO membership. As long as we choose the right direction, and people work closely together with the government with trust and resolve, our shared determination will see us through to success.
Chen Lung-chu is chairman of the New Century Foundation and director of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.
Translated by Marc Langer
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of
RSS