Q: Why does Taiwan want to join the World Health Organization? What will joining the WHO mean for Taiwan?

A: First of all, whether from the standpoint of international law or the policies of governments around the world, healthcare is a basic human right. As much as possible, the people of the world should not have to suffer from long-term or severe illnesses. Nevertheless, AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases are rampant in places such as Africa and Central and South America. Today, in the 21st century, unaffected nations should not just sit back and do nothing. Pursuing health and appropriate medical treatment is a basic human right; this has already become a universally acknowledged tenet.

Secondly, in a global age, when people and goods move around quickly, one area's problems with its food or water can quickly spread elsewhere, and infectious diseases spread in concert with the growth in travel and trade. Successful monitoring and prevention of infectious diseases requires cooperation from all nations. This is an important issue receiving a lot of attention around the world.

It was for these human rights and medical goals that the international community established the WHO. So when over 190 countries around the world fall under the protective umbrella of WHO, yet the 23 million people of Taiwan are excluded, this is not only unfair to Taiwan, it also represents a weakness in the overall global healthcare structure.

What's more, although Taiwan itself withdrew from the WHO some 30 years ago, in the years since it has made impressive achievements in healthcare through the concerted efforts of the government and people. For instance, it has instituted universal health insurance, which even America lacks. Malaria and poliomyelitis were eradicated from Taiwan years ago. What's more, in the 1980s the ROC government was the first to provide free hepatitis B vaccinations, which resulted in a tremendous drop in the number of children who suffer from it. Few countries in the world can claim to have been so successful. Taiwan is very willing to share its unique experiences with the world, and the world ought to be willing to accept what it has to share and contribute. But it's very unfortunate that we are unable to go through international healthcare institutions to make contributions.

It could be stated that Taiwan and the WHO have a mutually dependent relationship: they need us and we need them.

Q: With regard to the PRC's efforts to block ROC entry into the WHO, what standpoint and strategies has the government adopted?

A: I want to emphasize that Taiwan is struggling to participate in the WHO not only for the sake of its 23 million people, but also for the welfare of the 1.2 billion people in mainland China. Think about it: Once direct shipping and transport links are fully established between Taiwan and the mainland, if foot and mouth disease from Taiwan is suddenly brought to the mainland, or some disease from the mainland is suddenly brought over here, what would the result be? Therefore, if the mainland continues to obstruct our efforts at entry, it will only be disadvantageous to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. When we proposed in 1997 participating with "observer" status, it was with the express purpose of putting the focus on medicine and health instead of politics. Participation in the WHO is in no way a challenge to the notion of "one China" and has no bearing on the question of sovereignty.

The WHO charter clearly states that nationhood is a requirement of "membership" but that any group or individual has the right to participate. Among the current ranks of the WHO are many that participate with "observer" status. For instance, the Red Cross isn't a nation, but it is allowed to participate, just as the PLO and the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta are. We will accept participation as a "quasi-state observer." So, whether from the standpoint of international law or actual international practice, Taiwan's position ought to be respected by the international community. Beijing also ought to understand that we are showing restraint about pursuing our political aspirations. As for those who argue that Taiwan is downgrading its political status by applying to participate in the WHO as a non-nation, I believe that we should look at this issue from a new angle: International conceptions about sovereignty have been changing. The development of the European Union shows that the various nations of Europe are willing to cede some of their sovereignty for the sake of economic development and the welfare of their peoples. African nations are now talking about establishing an African Union, within which participating nations will collectively push for democracy and oppose anti-democratic developments. The African Union will be able to impose punitive measures. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the nation was given exalted status, but nationalism is gradually falling out of fashion.

Q: Last year your suggestion that Taiwan join the WHO as a "health entity" obtained much international support. Could you explain the meaning of "health entity"?

A: We applied as a "health entity" as part of a strategy to be flexible in terms of status in order to obtain the international support needed to participate in international organizations. There are several similar examples. For instance, Taiwan has become a formal member of the WTO as a separate customs territory and has joined APEC as an "economic entity." Fishing is another good example. Taiwan has joined the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean as a "fishing entity."

These examples represent a common practice in international law-or what is a new common practice. A society can also be an entity. Because the area of Taiwan, Penghu, and Matsu has its own quarantine and health inspection system, it can be regarded as an individual health entity.

Joining the WHO as a "health entity" is a good reflection of Taiwan's position. Joining the WHO in order to help people is very much in keeping with the charter of the WHO.

It has been six years since Taiwan began its campaign to join the WHO. Apart from the very start, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote the WHO itself, we've adopted the low-key approach. The goal has been to use reasonable and non-confrontational methods so that the international community comes to the conclusion that it is unreasonable not to allow Taiwan to join the WHO.

Q: Such countries as the United States and Japan, as well as international medical groups, have over the past year or two come to support Taiwan's participation in the WHO as an observer. What do you make of this?

A: In years past, major international medical groups, such as the World Medical Association, successively began to support a resolution to admit Taiwan with observer status. Over the last two years, we have taken it a step farther to get the support of various foreign governments: In late 2001, the US Congress and the American secretary of health and human services endorsed the idea, and the Japanese government has also expressed support several times. And a few weeks ago Chris Patten, the EU's commissioner for external relations, also publicly voiced support. I hope that more countries come forward to support Taiwan's entry this year.

I believe that this long-standing policy of "health apartheid" will be rejected by the international community. There are signs that the international community is gradually seeing the light on this issue. If the global community comes around, then this will naturally lead the PRC to revise its way of thinking. We can only hope that with economic development, growing diversity in society, and democratization, the mainland will also move toward a more reasonable and civilized position on this issue.

I'm certain that we're in the right.

p.34

Last year Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau proposed that Taiwan enter the WHO as a "health entity." The idea has received much international support. (photo by Jimmy Lin)

p.36

Taiwan's medical and healthcare sectors are quite advanced, and in recent years the ROC has been sharing the fruits of its successes in these areas with other nations. The photo shows a Liberian health official visiting a free clinic put on by the Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps. (courtesy of the Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps)