The Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps, which has provided free medical services around the world for 21 years, has been spurned because of the “one China” principle.
The corps, a private, non-sectarian, non-profit organization, was to visit Kyrgyzstan this summer, but was turned away by the Kyrgyz government, citing Beijing’s “one China” principle, based on which they refuse to have any exchanges with Taipei, non-governmental organizations (NGO) or individuals.
A corps staff member said this was the first time that the organization had planned a medical visit to Kyrgyzstan.
It is said that three corps members had already visited the nation early last month to discuss with local NGOs details such as where to offer medical services, and medications and personnel needed.
In the middle of last month, a name list of the medical team including doctors, nurses and medical technologists was handed to a Kyrgyz NGO for it to submit it to the Kyrgyz Department of Health for a review that, if passed, would have granted the team entry, authorization to practice medicine and tariff-exemption documents for the medicine they would bring, the staff member said.
However, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 1 rejected the application after it was informed by the Kyrgyz Department of Health, saying that “Taiwan is part of China.”
A copy of the rejection letter issued by the foreign ministry and provided by the corps said: “Kyrgyzstan upholds the unchanging position in regards of the Taiwan issue, which has been synchronizing on a permanent basis at bilateral meetings of different levels: Taiwan is an integral part of China territory and the Government of People’s Republic of China is the one lawful government who authorized to represent all China country.”
The staff member said the organization had encountered similar scenarios in the past when the group planned to visit Malaysia and Indonesia, but they had turned down the offer with a much more conciliatory tone and subtle wording.
The reference to the “one China” principle by the Kyrgyz government was quite staggering, the staff member said.
The staff member said that the corps has been operating globally for 21 years and this was the first time they had received such a discouraging response.
The staff member said that the organization focuses on international humanitarian aid, not politics.
The corps said it would travel to Sri Lanka next month instead, with an NGO there offering an invitation, as recent flooding has wreaked havoc in the nation.
Additional reporting by CNA
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