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.”
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