COVID-19 has affected every corner of the globe, clearly showing the importance of international cooperation in responding to the pandemic. As Indo-Pacific democracies, Australia and Taiwan share an interest in an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and world that are able to bounce back from shocks like COVID-19.
In the face of the disease, Australia has achieved world-leading health outcomes, with fewer infections, hospitalizations and deaths than most other countries, and it has administered nearly 3 million vaccine doses.
Australia is also helping our Indo-Pacific partners meet the challenges of COVID-19: through official development assistance of nearly A$1.5 billion (US$1.16 billion) to the Pacific region, and more than A$1 billion to Southeast Asia; through a A$100 million contribution to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s effort to deliver 1 billion vaccine doses to the region; and by sharing Australia’s domestically manufactured vaccines.
Australia and Taiwan have cooperated closely during the pandemic, providing each other with vital protective equipment. They have shared lessons on their respective approaches, including through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework. They also continue to deepen important links in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, with more than 30 clinical trials being conducted by Taiwanese firms in Australia.
Taiwan is in the midst of a difficult time, facing its first significant threat from “community transmission.” Nonetheless, Taiwan continues to stand out across the world for its effective response to the pandemic. The efforts of the government and Taiwanese are to be applauded. Its economy is still booming, and Taiwan is helping the world, providing much needed personal protective equipment, and sharing its advice and expertise.
Taiwan’s success has been driven by its early, coordinated national response that included early screening of arriving passengers, strictly monitoring quarantine arrangements, early and widespread use of masks, and effective contact tracing — in short, its scientific and highly effective public health management approach. The world has much to learn from Taiwan.
The people of Australia and Taiwan continue to be among the world’s most fortunate in terms of public health and economic outcomes in the face of COVID-19.
However, everyone around the world has a stake in ensuring an effective global health system. As the leading authority within the international system, the WHO is the cornerstone of an effective rules-based international order for health. It plays a particularly important role in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australia wants to see a WHO that is robust, with an enhanced ability to respond to pandemics.
The WHO should maintain close working relationships with all health authorities. As COVID-19 has demonstrated so clearly, Taiwan has valuable expertise to share with the world. This is why Australia maintains our long-standing support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement in the WHO’s work, and its participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly.
The economic and health consequences of COVID-19 have been severe, and there is a long road to recovery ahead. We must remain vigilant and work closely together. Only through full and inclusive global cooperation can we expect to see a full and inclusive global recovery.
Jenny Bloomfield is the Australian Representative to Taiwan.
US President Donald Trump has gotten off to a head-spinning start in his foreign policy. He has pressured Denmark to cede Greenland to the United States, threatened to take over the Panama Canal, urged Canada to become the 51st US state, unilaterally renamed the Gulf of Mexico to “the Gulf of America” and announced plans for the United States to annex and administer Gaza. He has imposed and then suspended 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for their roles in the flow of fentanyl into the United States, while at the same time increasing tariffs on China by 10
As an American living in Taiwan, I have to confess how impressed I have been over the years by the Chinese Communist Party’s wholehearted embrace of high-speed rail and electric vehicles, and this at a time when my own democratic country has chosen a leader openly committed to doing everything in his power to put obstacles in the way of sustainable energy across the board — and democracy to boot. It really does make me wonder: “Are those of us right who hold that democracy is the right way to go?” Has Taiwan made the wrong choice? Many in China obviously
US President Donald Trump last week announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on eight countries. As Taiwan, a key hub for semiconductor manufacturing, is among them, the policy would significantly affect the country. In response, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) dispatched two officials to the US for negotiations, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC) board of directors convened its first-ever meeting in the US. Those developments highlight how the US’ unstable trade policies are posing a growing threat to Taiwan. Can the US truly gain an advantage in chip manufacturing by reversing trade liberalization? Is it realistic to
Last week, 24 Republican representatives in the US Congress proposed a resolution calling for US President Donald Trump’s administration to abandon the US’ “one China” policy, calling it outdated, counterproductive and not reflective of reality, and to restore official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, enter bilateral free-trade agreement negotiations and support its entry into international organizations. That is an exciting and inspiring development. To help the US government and other nations further understand that Taiwan is not a part of China, that those “one China” policies are contrary to the fact that the two countries across the Taiwan Strait are independent and
RSS