A coalition of 12 Taiwanese-American organizations in Northern California convened a press conference at the Taiwanese American Center in San Jose on May 4 to rally support for Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA).
The event aimed to raise awareness about Taiwan’s exclusion from the 77th WHA session, scheduled from May 27 to June 1 in Geneva, Switzerland. Despite Taiwan’s successful strategy in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and extending assistance globally, political pressures, notably from the Chinese regime, have persisted, depriving Taiwan’s participation in the WHA.
The Chinese regime has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan. In June 2022, Beijing announced full sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait.
“Viruses have no borders, and excluding Taiwan from the World Health Assembly (WHA) goes against the principles of the World Health Organization (WHO). It represents a flaw in WHO governance, a loss for the world, and an unjust and unfair act,” the 12 organizations said in a statement.
“Taiwan has performed exceptionally well in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, earning high praise and admiration globally. It has become a model for epidemic prevention worldwide, and Taiwan is willing to share its experiences with other countries,” the statement reads.
Taiwan donated 50 million face masks at the start of the pandemic, including over 10 million to the United States when China stopped shipping them worldwide due to the lockdowns that disrupted the supply chains.
Taiwan is at China’s doorstep, with many daily exchanges between the two countries. With a population of 23.5 million, the island nation had around 8.82 million COVID-19 cases in the first three years of the pandemic from January 2020 to December 2022, with only 15,253 deaths reported during the same period.
The coalition of the Taiwanese-American groups was spearheaded by prominent figures in the local Taiwanese community, including Dr. Yeh Chun-Hsiung, chairman of the Taiwanese American Center, and Dr. Lin Jin-tang, president of the Northern California chapter of the North American Taiwanese Medical Association. Their impassioned speeches underscored Taiwan’s health care system, highlighted by its globally lauded National Health Insurance program.
Zhu Yung-chang, deputy director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in San Francisco, emphasized the significance of Taiwan’s participation in the WHA amid ongoing discussions at the WHO regarding pandemic response frameworks.
Chuang Ya-shu, director of the TECO’s Cultural Center in Milpitas, echoed this sentiment, stressing the interconnectedness of global health and the importance of Taiwan’s involvement.
Li Hanwen, a member of Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (TOCAC), said the United Nations Resolution 2758 did not involve a determination by other countries regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty.
“Resolution 2758 does not preclude meaningful participation by Taiwan in the U.N. system and other multilateral forums,” she stated.
Moreover, Ms. Li criticized the Chinese Communist Party for erroneously using Resolution 2758 to exclude Taiwan from the international system.
Taiwan has been barred from the U.N. since 1971 when Resolution 2758 accepted the Chinese communist regime as China’s legitimate representative. The resolution did not mention Taiwan’s sovereignty rights.
Dr. Fu Hongyu illuminated Taiwan’s significant contributions to global health care, including its production of vital medical supplies that have benefitted numerous countries.
Meanwhile, Zhang Jia-zhou displayed banners from the San Francisco Bay Area Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, declaring unequivocal support for Taiwan’s WHA bid.
The speakers emphasized that Taiwan’s voice must not be silenced on the global health stage, and concerted efforts will continue until justice prevails.
Li Qinyi contributed to this report.