EU and 26 Nations Advocate for Taiwan at World Health Assembly

EU and 26 Nations Advocate for Taiwan at World Health Assembly/Reuters

Dil Bar Irshad | May 30, 2024 | 02:52 PM IST | Health, Taiwan, World | Follow on Google News

EU and 26 Nations Advocate for Taiwan at World Health Assembly

EU and 26 Nations Advocate for Taiwan at World Health Assembly

Key Highlights:

1. EU and 26 countries support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA).
2. Increasing international calls for the WHO’s “Health For All” slogan to include Taiwan.
3. Taiwan remains committed to its sovereignty amidst rising tensions with China.

The European Union and 26 countries have voiced their support for Taiwan’s inclusion at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, as reported by Taiwan News. This move comes after years of China exerting pressure to exclude Taiwan from the annual World Health Organization (WHO) conference.

During the WHA event held from May 27 to June 1, EU Representative Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve emphasized the need for the WHO to foster international cooperation without leaving any regions behind. Germany’s Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach echoed this sentiment, advocating for the reduction of WHO bureaucracy and the inclusion of Taiwan’s professional expertise.

Compared to the previous year, five more countries and regions have joined the call for Taiwan’s participation. These newcomers include the EU, the Netherlands, Latvia, New Zealand, and Israel. Additionally, health ministers and government representatives from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Luxembourg also supported Taiwan’s case.

Despite not receiving an invitation, Taiwan’s Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan attended Geneva for bilateral meetings, news conferences, and exhibitions to advocate for Taiwan’s inclusion. The 26 supporting countries and regions include 10 of Taiwan’s 11 diplomatic allies.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have been escalating, with China conducting military drills around Taiwan on May 23 as a punitive measure against what it calls “separatist acts.” Nonetheless, Taiwan remains committed to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, leveraging strategic foresight and robust defense capabilities, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

Source: Focus Taiwan

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.