Taiwan Medical Professionals Alliance chairman Wu Shuh-min (
Deputy Representative Stanley Kao (高碩泰) of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington said he was still trying to clarify the reason for the PAHO's canceling the meeting, adding there might have been "foul play."
A PAHO spokesperson did not respond to inquiries.
Seeking support
A medical delegation consisting of Wu, Taiwan Medical Association president Wu Yun-tung (吳運東) and Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator George Liu (劉寬平) is in Washington to drum up support for the nation's entry into the WHO.
At a press conference at Twin Oaks, Wu Shuh-min said China is oppressing Taiwan wherever it can.
Taiwan Medical Professionals Alliance executive director Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉) aimed his criticism at Hong Kong born WHO Director-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍), saying Chan's actions after her accession to the post last year have showed that she is focusing on China's interests rather than the interests of the WHO.
Health danger
The medical delegation said that Taiwan's isolation from the WHO presents a danger to global health, as Taiwan is the only country in the world denied full access to support and information from the world health body.
The physicians met US officials in the hope that Washington would broaden its support for the country's admission, under observer status, to the WHO.
In recent years Japan and the US have advocated for Taiwan's observer status, but only 25 of the WHO's 191 full members have joined the cause.
The physicians said they hoped to convince the US to apply more pressure on the EU and Canada to join the cause for Taiwan, but doubted they had succeeded.
Both the EU and Ottawa say they can't allow Taiwan to have observer status -- already accorded to the Red Cross, the Palestinian Authority, the Vatican, Kosovo and several other non-state entities -- because it would violate their "one China" policy.
"If we are not in the network, there is going to be a hole," said Wu Shuh-Min (
Liu took the argument one step further.
"This is not a political issue but an issue of human rights," he said.
The delegation has been visiting world capitals ahead of the annual World Health Assembly in May, where matters of membership are decided. A simple majority would suffice to give Taiwan observer status.
"We don't mind fighting another 10 years, but I don't want a disaster to happen," Wu Shuh-min said.
Taiwan successfully contained a SARS outbreak in 2003 using a rigorous system of containment, ship and plane searches, the temperature-monitoring of arriving passengers, hospital closures and facial masks distribution.
The physicians said that Beijing kept the world in the dark about its SARS problems and has "lied" to the world about how much support it gives Taiwan on health issues.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first