Mr. President,
I would like to begin by
congratulating you on assuming the presidency of the 56th
World Health Assembly. I am confident that under
your capable leadership, this WHA will be a
success.
Mr. President, Colleagues,
The World Health Organization as a UN specialized
agency shoulders a lofty mission of promoting social
development and progress across the world. The WHA
as the highest power organ of the WHO embodies the hopes and
aspirations of the world people towards a happy and healthy
life. Coming from different parts of the world,
participants at the WHA are united in their best wishes for
creating, through our joint efforts, a hygienic and healthy
environment for all of us to live and work in peace,
happiness and good health.
Regrettably,
however, a handful of countries have shown no regard for the
purposes and principles of the UN Charter and legal
provisions of this organization, for the will of the
overwhelming majority of countries or the efforts of the
people in different parts of the world against various
diseases. By once again tabling a proposal at this sacred
forum on inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an
observer, they are again putting on an inglorious
farce.
I would like to point out solemnly that
inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHO is unlawful,
illogical and unreasonable. The Chinese Government
is firmly opposed to any such proposal. Here I would like to
highlight the following questions.
First, there
is no legal ground for a region or a province of a sovereign
state to join an inter-governmental international
organization.
The UN Resolution 2758 adopted
at the 26th UN General Assembly in 1971 and the WHA
Resolution 25.1 adopted at the 25th WHA in 1972 have solved
the issue of China’s representation in the UN and its
specialized agencies including the WHO politically, legally
and procedurally in a fair, thorough and comprehensive
manner. These two documents are perpetually
binding. As a province of China, Taiwan has no
qualification whatsoever to become a member or an associate
member of the WHO, nor is it qualified to participate in any
WHO activities as an observer.
Respect for
state sovereignty and territorial integrity is an important
principle enshrined in the UN Charter, and is cherished by
all countries in the world. In handling
international relations, China has been strictly following
this principle and we hope to see other countries do the
same in their handling of the Taiwan question. The
Taiwan question falls within the internal affairs of China,
which can only be solved through talks by the Chinese on the
two sides of the Straits. No foreign country has
the right to get a hand or interfere therein. What
a small number of countries are doing is, in essence,
instigating the creation of “two Chinas” or
“one China, one Taiwan” in the international
community. The Chinese Government and people
resolutely oppose such an act of infringing upon
China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,
interfering in China’s internal affairs and
compromising WHO norms and principles.
Secondly, there is no justification,
by WHO law or practice for inviting Taiwan to participate in
the WHO under the name of a so-called health entity or a
non-governmental organization.
The Taiwan
authorities and those Taiwan-related proposal sponsors have
racked their brains and come up with a concept of the
so-called health entity. It is known to all that
the WHO is an UN agency made up of sovereign states, not of
the so-called health entities. There is no such
concept as health entity in the WHO Constitution, nor has
the concept ever occurred in the practice of the body over
the past fifty years and more.
A
country needs rule of law as the world calls for order.
An international organization has to follow its
own norms and principles in its activities.
Pursuant to the relevant stipulations of the WHO
Constitution and the Principles Governing Relations with
NGOs, Taiwan NGOs’ participation in any WHO activities
should be subject to the approval and arrangements of the
Central Government of China. I wish to reiterate
that our Taiwan medical and public health professionals are
welcome to join the Chinese delegation to the WHA.
Thirdly, there is no such question as Taiwan
being unable to fight against SARS without WHO
membership.
Our Taiwan compatriots are members
of the big family of the Chinese nation. The
Central Government of China cares a lot about the safety and
health of the people on Taiwan and has been working actively
to promote exchanges and cooperation in the health area
across the Taiwan Straits. Each year hundreds of
delegations from health communities of the two sides
exchange visits, which involve thousands of participants.
Facts are sufficient evidence that the health and
hygiene of Taiwan are not ignored and Taiwan has unfettered
access to health information.
The Central
Government of China is very much concerned about the
outbreak of SARS on both sides of the Straits and relevant
authorities have promptly adopted a series of measures to
strengthen information exchanges and technical cooperation
between the two sides. We have on many occasions
stated our willingness to extend to Taiwan all possible help
and hold discussions with Taiwan about a joint strategy to
fight SARS. Health agencies on the mainland have
shared with their Taiwan counterparts related information,
prevention and treatment techniques and policies on SARS.
We have also invited professionals from Taiwan to
come to Guangzhou and Beijing for a first-hand look at SARS
prevention and treatment. Health and medical
institutions of the two sides held a Symposium on the
Prevention and Control of SARS on Both Sides of the Taiwan
Straits at the end of April, which was attended by medical
and health experts from Taiwan. On May 9, the two sides
convened a Tele- conference on SARS, where experts from
Beijing, Guangdong and Taiwan held fruitful discussions
about SARS prevention. The China Center for
Disease Control and Prevention also provided test reagents
to relevant disease control agencies on
Taiwan.
The Central Government of China is
willing to consider favorably Taiwan’s request for
more outside assistance in epidemic control. Most
recently, the Central Government of China agreed to invite
WHO experts to investigate the SARS situation in Taiwan,
followed by its approval to Taiwan medical experts’
participation in the WHO-sponsored global SARS conference
this June. We have also made it clear on many
occasions that the Central Government will give the same
positive consideration to any request made by the Taiwan
side if it needs technical assistance from the WHO.
Mr. President,
In the face of
this sudden outbreak of the SARS epidemic, the Chinese
Government and people are united as one and going all out to
save patients and control the epidemic. The
Chinese Government and leaders have always given top
priority to the health and safety of all Chinese people
including our Taiwan compatriots. A series of
decisive measures are paying off. We feel
sincerely grateful to the international community for the
full support for our battle against SARS, and ardently hope
to enhance our cooperation with the rest of the world.
“Where there is a will, there is a
way.” I am deeply convinced that as long as
we join hands and work with one heart, the humanity is bound
to overcome the epidemic of SARS.
Mr.
President,
There are many important agenda
items awaiting our examination and review at this Assembly.
There are many arduous tasks in front of us as the
epidemic spreads across borders. I wish to, once
again, call on all members to support the proposal that the
General Committee does not include the Taiwan-related
proposal in the Provisional Agenda. I am sure that
you will make a wise decision for the sake of justice and
our common cause.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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