DPP Legislator Chien Chao-tung (
"A key factor in Taiwan's bid to obtain World Health Organization (WHO) membership this year would be the international community getting fed-up with China's savage behavior in covering-up the country's real SARS-infection situation and its unreasonableness in excluding Taiwan from the world's collaboration against the epidemic," he said.
Chien said that, after long observing the situation,Taiwan is increasing its chances to attain its goal this time.
He said that resentment of Beijing's dishonesty in concealing the severity of the SARS outbreak led to a number of countries reconsidering Taiwan's position. They feel that the country could not be excluded from international health discussions simply because of politics, as health-care concerns have no political boundaries, he added.
The rampant spreading of the pneumonia-like illness in Taiwan, Chien continued, reminded the world that toleration of China's opposition to the country joining the WHO could mean more countries would experience outbreaks if Taiwan failed to contain the virus on its own.
Chien said he learned from the ministry of foreign affairs that authorities from Japan, the US and EU had pledged their consolidated support for Taiwan's bid after witnessing the country's isolation.
He noted the improved response from Japan in particular. "More Japanese people endorse Taiwan's participation because they know that in these days of international travel, the mere three-hour flight separating the countries actually bring them very close to one another," Chien saidd.
"At this year's assembly, a few unexpected countries are likely to announce their full backing for Taiwan's bid, as Beijing's dishonesty had angered many countries."
But he said that tougher attempts at suppression were expected from China.
"The Chinese delegation headed by the `iron maiden' Wu Yi (
He quoted another message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Chinese government is demanding from its overseas missions to reinforce the one-China policy to their diplomatic allies.
Trying for the seventh time to become a member of the UN health agency, Chien was optimistic that this goal is within reach.
"Besides striving to get observer status under the title `health entity,' we found another way to be accepted by the health body after two precedents have been set. Cook Island and Niue, a South Pacific island country, had been acknowledged by the WHO despite not being members of the UN.
The legislator however said that Taiwanese individuals can do more than they have done to advance the objective.
"The country's business community does not use its profound influence and achievements on the international stage to call for Taiwan to be accepted, in order to contribute to advanced medicines technology and combating disease," he said.
Support for Taiwan's bid was high at a health seminar held in Europe, which highlighted Taiwan's isolation during the SARS outbreak, Chien said.
Many medical associations expressed regrets about the sacrifices Taiwanese health workers have made during the SARS epidemic.
Department of Health (DOH)officials led by Lee Lung-teng (李龍騰), deputy director-general of the DOH, arrived in Geneva yesterday to further lobby WHO member countries.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS