MOFA thanks UK lawmakers for supporting Taiwan

2020/03/06

A letter by 55 U.K. lawmakers sent to the World Health Organization expressing grave concern over its unfair treatment of Taiwan is highly appreciated, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs March 4.
 
 Signed by Lord Rogan and Martin Vickers—co-chairs of the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group—and 53 other lawmakers from both houses of the British Parliament, the letter urges WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to correct the global body’s wrongful classification of Taiwan under China’s jurisdiction.
 
 The WHO’s erroneous reports regarding the COVID-19 outbreak are impeding timely information exchanges, the lawmakers said, noting that Taiwan’s experience and expertise in dealing with health emergencies could be of great value to the international community.
 
 Taiwan should not be shut out of the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the WHO, the parliamentarians said, adding that this would create a breach in the global health security network and put lives needlessly at risk.
 
 The sentiment was shared by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, minister of state for the Commonwealth and the U.N., in a written answer Feb. 26 to Lord Blencathra’s question during a parliamentary session. Ahmad stressed the importance of allowing all countries and territories, including Taiwan, full access to the latest information on the coronavirus.
 
 The reply follows the minister’s oral response to Baroness Falkner of Margravine, Lord Collins of Highbury and Lord Dholakia Feb. 10 in the upper house. Taiwan can play a vital role as an observer at events like the World Health Assembly, he said.
 
 Taiwan participated in the annual WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016. The government is seeking a seat at the table for the 73rd edition scheduled May 17-21 in Geneva.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)