Foreign Minister Wu talks WHO, Taiwan-Canada ties in CBC interview

2021/05/27

The government is committed to strengthening the global response to COVID-19 while partnering with countries such as Canada in promoting freedom, democracy and human rights, according to Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu.
 
Taiwan voiced caution to the rest of the world from the onset of coronavirus, Wu said. The country also repeatedly demonstrated to the World Health Organization it is willing and able to share related experiences and resources in managing the pandemic, he added.
 
But Taiwan never received a response nor assistance from the WHO, Wu said, adding that the country must not be excluded from the U.N. specialized agency on political grounds.
 
Wu made the remarks during an exclusive interview with David Common of Toronto-headquartered Canadian Broadcasting Corp. aired May 24 on “Power & Politics.”
 
According to Wu, Taiwan is on the front line of Beijing’s ongoing campaign of coercion, which threatens democracies worldwide and international rules-based order. Like-minded partners, including Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S., must enhance multilateral cooperation with Taiwan so as to stop China’s authoritarian expansion, he said.
 
Wu also took the opportunity to thank Canada for backing Taiwan’s global participation, citing public shows of support on several occasions by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the North American country’s parliament.
 
Such backing is critical for Taiwan’s bid to take part in the World Health Assembly as an observer, and is sincerely appreciated by the government and people of Taiwan, Wu added.
 
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “Watch Minister Wu’s @PnPCBC interview in which he thanks the government of #Canada, @CanadianPM, ministers & diplomats for courageously speaking out in support of #Taiwan, as well as urging the country’s participation in @WHO activities, mechanisms & meetings like the #WHA.” 


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