Taiwans förbättrade relationer med Kina underlättar internationellt deltagande

Taiwans hälsodepartement meddelade den 24 mars att de mottagit en inbjudan till Världshälsoförsamlingens årliga möte från WHO:s generaldirektör Margaret Chan. Det är andra året i rad som Taiwan erbjuds att delta i mötet, tillika andra gången totalt sedan man tvingades lämna FN 1971. Den taiwanesiska delegationen kommer att ledas av hälsominister Yaung Chih-liang.

Taiwans hälsodepartement säger att de har lyckats vara mer deltagande i WHO:s arbete efter att ha deltagit som observatör vid förra årets möte. Bland annat fick man tillgång till H1N1-virusstammar och kunde därefter utveckla ett eget vaccin.

Tidigare år har taiwanesiskt deltagande förhindrats på grund av de ansträngda relationerna med Kina, men efter att Ma Ying-jeou tillträdde som president i Taiwan 2008 har relationerna förbättrats avsevärt.

Pressmeddelandet från Taiwans hälsodepartement publiceras här i sin helhet:

PRESS RELEASE

Department of Health, Taiwan

March 24, 2010

Taiwan invited to attend World Health Assembly

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan sent a letter dated March 22 to Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang, informing the Republic of China (Taiwan) of the time and venue of the Sixty-third World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting, along with details concerning attendance. Minister Yaung will lead Taiwan’s delegation at this year’s meeting.

Since the WHO’s incorporation of Taiwan as a participant in the enforcement mechanism of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and as an observer at the WHA in 2009, we have made progress in expanding our participation in WHO affairs. Through smooth communications with the WHO and under the IHR framework, our representatives have been invited to take part in WHO meetings concerning the H1N1 influenza pandemic as well as other technical conferences and training programs. Further, with the assistance of the world body and other countries, we have been able to obtain isolated H1N1 virus stock and produce a flu vaccine on our own.

These events indicate that the international community has recognized Taiwan’s need, both professional and functional, to participate in the world health body, as well as the contributions we can make to the international health system. The DOH is therefore confident that all countries in the world will be glad to see our representatives in attendance at the World Health Assembly once again this year. This positive development, on the one hand, will help Taiwan continue to expand its participation in meetings, mechanisms and activities under the WHO. On the other hand, it indicates that improvements in cross-strait relations can facilitate the expansion of Taiwan’s international relations, which will in turn make us more willing and confident to deepen cross-strait relations—a “virtuous circle” worth encouraging.

This year’s provisional WHA agenda includes pandemic influenza preparedness, IHR implementation, food safety, curbing counterfeit medical products and provision of health care services—all of which are topics of major importance for Taiwan and areas in which we can make contributions. Our delegation will actively take part in discussions and engage in exchanges with other delegations in order to share our experience in the field of medical and health care development.