Richard Sanders
The Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) announced plans to send a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, to advocate for Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), scheduled from Monday to May 27. Despite Taiwan’s extensive contributions to global health, the country has been repeatedly excluded from the WHA due to pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.
At a press conference in Taipei, TAIUNA emphasized that health is a fundamental human right and called for Taiwan to be included in international health discussions. The delegation aims to highlight Taiwan’s achievements in public health, disease prevention, and medical technology, and to remind the international community that Taiwan’s 23 million people should not be isolated from global health initiatives.
Members of the delegation will depart for Geneva today, with some traveling from the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and other countries. In addition to participation in the WHA, they plan to engage in activities such as an exhibition at Geneva’s Cornavin railway station to showcase Taiwan’s healthcare innovations, a parade with overseas Taiwanese communities, and a global health diplomacy summit organized by the Taiwan Healthcare Youth Alliance.
TAIUNA Vice President Hung Chia-chun highlighted that Taiwan’s contributions, especially in managing COVID-19, have earned international recognition. He expressed disappointment over China’s continued interference, which he said is driven by the “one China” principle and unfair claims over Taiwan’s achievements.
The issue of Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHA has been compounded by internal challenges. Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare, Chiu Tai-yuan, recently revealed that due to a 60% cut in foreign travel budget by opposition lawmakers, the WHA Action Team will need to trim its delegation by approximately one-third this year, affecting efforts to boost Taiwan’s international health presence.
