TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan has received a letter of invitation from the World Health Assembly to attend its meeting next month as an observer under the name “Chinese Taipei,” Department of Health Minister Yeh Chin-chuan announced Wednesday. Taiwan’s presence at the WHA will mark the first time that the country will be able to attend the meeting of a United Nations body since it left the global organization in 1971 as China gained membership.
Taiwan has tried for 13 years to achieve the status of observer at the world health body, but resistance from China has been the main obstacle.
Yeh told a news conference he received the letter from World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan Tuesday night, inviting him to attend the meeting in the Swiss city from May 18 thru 27.
The invitation signified a big step for Taiwan, Yeh said. The government’s health chief interrupted a questioning session at the Legislative Yuan Wednesday morning to show the letter from the WHO to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng. The document was a short invitation, but listed Yeh’s official title.
He said he hoped to share Taiwan’s experiences in health care and hygiene with the world.
At a news conference with Yeh, Vice Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia said recent improved relations with China, international elements and Taiwan’s potential in the field of hygiene also played a part in the admission.
He said Taiwan’s application to the WHA had been the same this time as on the 12 previous occasions, and said respect and autonomy had been the basic principles for all arrangements. Taiwan had not been belittled, he said.
The name “Chinese Taipei” is the official name Taiwan uses at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forums and at the Olympics and similar international sporting events. The name was acceptable to the government, Hsia said.
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party immediately lashed out at the government for giving in on the country’s sovereignty in order to participate in international events.
DPP lawmaker William Lai said the government should make conditions for Taiwan’s observer status public, while his colleague Huang Wei-cher said it remained to be seen what practical benefits the change would bring.
“If the only thing Taiwan does is following China, then it might as well not join,” Huang said.
Hsia said Taiwan would not need to renew its application each year, but would receive an invitation to the WHA like other observers. He said he expected Taiwan to be invited to all conferences and other WHO events like other observers were.
Taiwan’s office in Geneva would continue communicating with the world health body about the seating arrangements and name cards for Yeh’s 15-member delegation.
