Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says that Taiwan has shown the world it can contribute to the WHO.
During a radio interview Wednesday, Chen said that for several years, Taiwan has belittled its own abilities. He said that Taiwan has long resorted to asking foreign governments and international media for help making its case for inclusion in the WHO.
However, Chen said that Taiwan’s successful response to COVID-19 has sparked international interest in the “Taiwan Model” of disease prevention. He also spoke about the success of Taiwan’s donations of surgical masks to countries in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chen repeated a remark he made three years ago, in which he said he wanted to show the world that the WHO needs Taiwan as much as Taiwan needs the WHO. He said that Taiwan has no need to put undersell its abilities to contribute to global health, and that it can use its contributions to world health to fight for inclusion in the WHO.