Twelve of Taiwan's allies have submitted a proposal to the World Health Organization (WHO) to include Taiwan's bid for observer status on the agenda of the health body's annual summit in Geneva next Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
The General Committee of the World Health Assembly (WHA) must discuss whether to add Taiwan's application to the agenda now that at least one member has proposed it, ministry spokesman Richard Shih (
Japan has promised to follow the US' lead and back Taiwan's bid, but Gary Lin (
Nevertheless, Lin said it was possible some of the 10 ASEAN member states would display a "neutral stance" concerning Taiwan's bid.
While ASEAN nations all adhere to the "one China" policy, some of them may not vote against Taiwan's application and some may withdraw from key sessions in the summit, according to Lin.
Most of Taiwan's allies in Latin America have pledged to speak for Taiwan's bid, the ministry reported in a legislative question-and-answer session yesterday.
Javier Hou (
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (
Jich Wen-chich (
Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi (
"We still don't know who will be leading the Chinese delegation this time," Jich said.
Noting that all of Taiwan's allies will vote for the country's bid in the WHA, Jich said it was still difficult to calculate how many countries may vote in favor of Taiwan.
Five legislators and the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan, a long-time private lobby group for the country's WHA bid, will be departing for Geneva for the assembly tonight.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Bill Sun (
The legislative group and other members in the Taiwanese delegation will need to apply for permits to listen to the assembly proceedings in the public gallery.
"We are not sure whether we will be granted the permits," Sun said.
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
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