Health Minister Chen Shih-chung has called for Taiwan’s inclusion in the World Health Assembly in an opinion piece published in The Diplomat Tuesday.
The World Health Assembly is the WHO’s decision-making body. Taiwan had been allowed to attend the assembly’s annual meeting as an observer between 2009 and 2016. However, since then, it has been blocked from attending due to Chinese pressure.
Chen’s piece is entitled “Whether Fighting COVID-19 or the Next Pandemic, Taiwan Can Help”. In it, Chen says that Taiwan has remained vigilant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, having learned the lessons of the 2003 SARS outbreak. As a result, he says, Taiwan has defied predictions that its position close to China would make it one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19.
So far, Taiwan has seen just over 1,110 cases and only twelve deaths attributable to the pandemic. Early prevention efforts have allowed life to go on as normal in Taiwan and allowed Taiwan’s GDP to grow at a time when much of the world has seen an economic slump.
Chen writes that as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will work with the WHO and global health leaders to insure that all people have a healthy living and working environment.
He writes that the COVID-19 pandemic shows that Taiwan should not be excluded from the global health network. He also says the pandemic shows that Taiwan is an indispensable partner in monitoring for new diseases.
He called on the WHO to recognize Taiwan’s longstanding contributions to global health and allow Taiwan to take part in all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities.