Washington Times: Why Taiwan must be seated at the World Health Assembly
Stanley Kao, representative at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States

“The constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that ‘the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.’ Yet WHO withheld, as last year, an invitation for Taiwan’s participation in May as an observer in the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland. …[Taiwan is] at the forefront as a responsible stakeholder in making concrete contributions to enhance regional and global disease prevention networks. … [I]n the era of new cross-regional pandemics, Taiwan has successfully transformed its role on the international stage from aid recipient to assistance provider. … Taiwan needs to be seated at the upcoming 71st WHA in Geneva, Switzerland, in order to contribute its expertise and experience to the achievement of the WHO’s vision of a seamless global disease prevention network and to promote the well-being of all human beings at all ages. For what it has done and committed to give, Taiwan deserves a place at the table” (4/19).