A health ministry official says that Health Minister Lin Tzou-yien will deliver an address at the World Health Assembly forum on Wednesday.
According to the official, Lin's address will cover Taiwan’s achievements in the field of healthcare, Taiwan’s successes in the area of international medical cooperation, and the future of medicine in Taiwan. Lin will also discuss the steps Taiwan is taking to meet the challenge of its aging population.
Lin is head of Taiwan’s delegation to this year’s WHA forum. The delegation left Friday for Geneva, where the forum takes place every year. This year’s forum will take place from May 23-28.
Taiwan has been an observer at the forum every year since 2009. But until this year's invitation arrived, there had been speculation that pressure from Beijing would leave Taiwan unable to attend this year’s forum. That’s because President Tsai Ing-wen is seen as wary of Beijing. Tsai has also avoided any explicit references to “One China”, a concept that Beijing insists Taiwan’s presidents publically accept.
This year’s invitation refers to the ‘one China principle' as the basis of Taiwan’s observer status at the forum. World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan reiterated this stance in a May 17 statement.
Before his departure Friday, a reporter asked Lin what he will do if faced with Chinese pressure during the forum. Lin said that his delegation has plans in place, but declined to give any details.