Wed, May 24, 2023 page3

• Taipei thanks nations for WHA support

  PRESS FREEDOM? Although 12 countries voiced support for Taiwan at the WHA, the UN Office in Geneva refused to give Taiwanese journalists access to the event

  • By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter
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  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the countries who spoke up for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly (WHA), while condemning China for blocking Taiwanese reporters from the event.

  Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Japan, the UK and the US voiced their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO in the three minutes each member state was allocated during the general discussion section of the WHA’s second and third plenary sessions on Monday.

  In the fourth plenary session yesterday morning, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Marshall Islands and Paraguay also voiced their support for Taiwan.

  

  WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on screen, attends the World Health Assembly at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday.

  Photo: Reuters

  Paraguay called for trust and multilateralism in preparing for future global health challenges and said the WHO should allow Taiwan to participate as an associate member.

  “We should stop the politics, stop the neglect, for we are all vulnerable human beings,” the Marshall Islands said, using nearly half of its allotted time to advocate for Taiwan.

  “In addressing global health issues such as infection control, it is important to refer to good examples of regions such as Taiwan,” Japan said, adding that the WHO should avoid creating geographical vacuum by leaving specific regions behind.

  The UK said that “our ability to draw on expertise from everywhere remains paramount,” adding that including Taiwan would give the WHA “meaningful access to all relevant technical meetings.”

  Guatemala said that bilateral cooperation with Taiwan has benefited the health of its people, and called Taiwan “a valuable ally.”

  “Constructive stakeholders who have a role to play” should be included to combat common health problems worldwide, the US said, adding that it “continues to strongly support Taiwan’s meaningful participation” at the WHA and in the WHO’s work.

  China asked to exercise its right to reply, countering those who supported Taiwan by citing UN Resolution 2758, WHA Resolution 25.1 and its “one China” principle.

  UN Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the only lawful representative of China to the UN, while WHA Resolution 25.1, adopted at the 25th WHA in 1972, expelled the Republic of China from the WHO.

  China said that the gap in global disease prevention was merely hype and “pure nonsense.”

  Using its right to reply, the US said that the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the urgency of engaging all public health experts and authorities when combating global health issues, so it would “continue its long-standing policy of supporting the meaningful participation of Taiwan.”

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday in a statement thanked the nations that spoke up for Taiwan.

  It urged the WHO to uphold professionalism and neutrality by listening to the voices of justice among the international community and rejecting China’s political deception.

  In a separate statement, the ministry expressed its dissatisfaction with the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, because it denied Taiwanese journalists access to the WHA due to pressure from China.

  It also condemned China for its actions.

  The UN should respect the fundamental right of Taiwanese journalists to enter the venue to cover UN meetings and activities instead of giving in to unreasonable political pressure, it said.
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