The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said staunch support from allies and like-minded partners for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, is sincerely appreciated by the government and people of Taiwan, June 1.
Eleven of the country’s allies have spoken in support of Taiwan during the event, the MOFA said. Similar sentiments were expressed by representatives from like-minded partners including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S., the ministry added.
Among these, New Zealand mentioned Taiwan openly for the first time while Belgium and the Netherlands urged the U.N. principle that “leave no one behind.” The MOFA added that representatives of Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu and the U.S. all refuted China’s misinterpretation of the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 and the WHA Resolution 25.1. during the event.
Heads of government, ministers and officials from around the world also publicly expressed support for Taiwan, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and high-ranking officials from Belgium, France, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Joint statements released following the G7 foreign ministers’ meetings and Australia-U.K. 2+2 ministerial consultations, as well as diplomatic and WHO-relevant reports unveiled by Dutch and German governments as well as Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also comprised positive remarks.
Furthermore, the ministry said lawmakers from around the world lobbied for Taiwan to gain a seat at the WHA table, including those from Guatemala, Luxembourg, St. Kitts and Nevis, the Czech Republic, the Marshal Islands, the Netherlands, the U.S., European Parliament and several chapters of the Formosa Club.
According to the MOFA, a delegation to Geneva led by Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan exchanged experience with other representative and professional groups, as well as co-hosting forums on topics like pandemics, oral health, holistic care and health assistance. A lawmaker group led by Legislative Yuan Vice President Chiang Chi-chen also actively participated in various activities and conducted parliamentary diplomacy to express cross-party support of Taiwan’s bid to join the WHA.
This was complemented by a short MOFA-produced video entitled “My Second Home” which obtained over 26.96 million views; in addition, articles including former minister Hsueh’s op-ed and letters from Taiwan’s overseas offices were published by international media outlets. The 2,772 posts made on the MOFA and overseas offices’ social media accounts also received 21.99 million views.
The government is committed to working with countries from around the world to reach the WHA goal “All for Health, Health for All,” the MOFA said. The ministry called on the WHO’s Secretariat to heed the global call and grant Taiwan WHA observer status to ensure the country’s full participation in its meetings, mechanisms and activities, it added. (YCH-E)
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