MOFA thanks NZ Parliament’s friendship group for WHO letter

2023/05/18

A letter from members of New Zealand’s parliament supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in the World Health Organization is deeply appreciated by the government and people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said May 16.
 
Signed by Ingrid Leary and Simon O’Connor in their roles as co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan and representatives of the group’s 25 members, the letter follows the joint statements issued after summit meetings between New Zealand and the U.S. in May 2022 and the U.K. two months later, the MOFA said. Both statements stressed the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.
 
According to the letter, while Taiwan’s efficient response to COVID-19 has been widely recognized by the global community, it continues to be excluded from the WHO and World Health Assembly. This decision seriously jeopardizes the right to health of Taiwan’s people and contradicts the WHO’s mandate of “Health for All,” it added.
 
Taiwan should not be left behind when it comes to establishing a complete, seamless and resilient global public health and disease prevention system, the letter said, calling on the New Zealand government and parliament to voice its support in the international arena.
 
As like-minded partners in democracy united in their respect for human rights and the rule of law, Taiwan and New Zealand have strong ties on many fronts, the MOFA said. This year marks the 10th anniversary of a bilateral economic cooperation agreement, and the ministry said the government will continue to cooperate with New Zealand to safeguard their shared values and contribute to the well-being of people around the world.


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