The 62nd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO’s highest decision-making body, is scheduled for today to Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. Taiwan has been blocked by China from joining the WHO over the past 12 years. This year, Beijing has agreed to let a representative of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government attend the WHA. The question is what price Taiwan will have to pay. The government has not made this clear to the public.
Beijing has employed a “carrot and stick” policy to block Taiwan from participating in the WHO. It has spread false information in the international community, claiming that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the rights and health of Taiwanese and that it is willing to cooperate with Taipei to solve health issues through appropriate channels. At the same time, it has repeatedly claimed that Taiwan is part of China and thus unqualified to join the WHO as an independent and sovereign state or to attend the WHA under any name.
China claims that Taiwan participating in the WHO would be a violation not only of UN Resolution No. 2758 but also of a resolution at the 25th session of the WHA in 1972. By this distorted reasoning, regardless of whether Taiwan applies to the WHO secretary-general for WHO membership as a country or, with the help of allies, seeks an invitation to participate in the WHA as an observer using the name “Republic of China (Taiwan),” Taipei would be creating “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”
This would encroach on China’s sovereignty and interfere with its internal affairs, Beijing claims.
Since Ma took office, his administration has hoped that its diplomatic truce policy would elicit goodwill from China. Instead, the government’s retreat and compromise can best be described as Taiwan gives an inch and Beijing takes a mile.
By accepting the ridiculous title “Chinese Taipei,” the government has been granted observer status at the WHA through an act of charity by Beijing. This model — with China unilaterally deciding Taiwan’s participation in exchange for Taiwan’s self-denigration and sacrifice of its status as a sovereign state — has undermined our national interests. It is nothing short of a tacit confirmation to the international community that Taiwan is part of China.
If Taiwan wants to join the WHO, it should insist on admission as a full member under the name “Taiwan.” Securing membership under the name “Chinese Taipei” or any other title that belittles Taiwanese sovereignty is unacceptable.
To break through China’s diplomatic blockade, Taiwan should clearly state that it is an independent and sovereign country. The public should not tolerate the government kowtowing to Beijing or selling out national sovereignty in exchange for observer status at the WHA.
The public should protest government policies that harm Taiwan’s dignity and sovereignty.
Chen Lung-chu is the president of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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