Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto Director-General Chen Jin-ling (陳錦玲) called on Canada to support Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO, as it would be in line with the country’s interests.
By advocating for Taiwan’s integration into global health governance, “Canada can enhance global health security and advance its strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region,” Chen said in an op-ed article published on May 4 on the Canadian digital media platform True North.
“Such actions resonate with Canada’s commitment to inclusivity, fairness, and international cooperation, contributing to a more robust global health framework,” she added.
Photo: Screen shot from Trending Taiwan YouTube
The WHO is to hold the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 27 to June 1, during which its members are scheduled to consider the proposed text of the world’s first pandemic agreement for adoption, the organization said.
After negotiations aimed at finalizing the agreement resumed from April 29 to Friday, the member states agreed to continue refining the draft and submit its outcome for consideration at the WHA, it said.
“Alarmingly, Taiwan faces potential exclusion from these critical discussions despite its proven track record in global health security,” Chen said.
Taiwan’s exclusion would carry “tangible implications for global health,” citing the example of the WHO refusing to include the nation in direct communication channels for pandemic-related information exchange, adding that Taiwan’s continued exclusion might potentially undermine global pandemic prevention efforts.
While some fear that the next pandemic might be looming, Taiwan is still excluded from the WHO and its affiliated organizations, a letter to the editor written by Chen said in the Globe and Mail newspaper on May 3.
“Could treating Taiwan differently be a starting point to avert this?” she asked.
In the event of a new global pandemic, the burden on healthcare systems of other countries might be exacerbated because Taiwan is not able to participate in the WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network, wrote in the True North op-ed, titled “Taiwan needs a seat at the table in the post-pandemic world order.”
It is “crucial” for Canada and other countries to support Taipei’s inclusion in WHO mechanisms as “ignoring Taiwan’s capability and expertise in global health matters is not just a diplomatic misstep — it is a serious global vulnerability.”
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
Taiwan is planning to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based X-ray imaging to customs clearance points over the next four years to curb the smuggling of contraband, a Customs Administration official said. The official on condition of anonymity said the plan would cover meat products, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, large bundles of banknotes and certain agricultural produce. Taiwan began using AI image recognition systems in July 2021. This year, generative AI — a subset of AI which uses generative models to produce data — would be used to train AI models to produce realistic X-ray images of contraband, the official
RSS