Two federal representatives from California – Democrat Brad Sherman and Republican Young Kim – introduced a bill Thursday (Feb. 18) that has the support of a large number of lawmakers from both parties to help Taiwan regain observer status at the World health Organization.
The bill would require the secretary of state to implement a strategy to restore Taiwan’s observer status at the WHO and its executive body, the World Health Assembly.
Taiwan is a strong ally of the United States and has been a global health leader with a decades-long record of responding effectively to public health crises and helping other countries,” said Kim Young-ok. …… Shamefully, China has barred Taiwan from working with WHO’s world partners. “
She added, “I will continue to do what I can to strengthen our U.S.-Taiwan relationship and support Taiwan as it looks to regain its observer status.”
Sherman said, “It is outrageous that China continues to exclude Taiwan from the WHO and restrict Taiwan’s access to critical information. The new coronavirus pandemic is an international health emergency. Taiwan needs not only up-to-date information related to the pandemic without delay, but also critical information that it can share with the world about its successful response to the virus.”
The two Congressmen hope the House Foreign Affairs Committee will act on the bill as soon as possible.
House members who have cosponsored the bill include House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Republican Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul (R-Texas), and House Foreign Affairs Committee Asia Subcommittee Chairman Democrat Ami Bera (D-CA), the Ranking Republican Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Steve Chabot (R-UT) from Ohio, and more than 30 other members from both parties.
Taiwan was able to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer under the name “Chinese Taipei” every year from 2009 until 2015, when KMT’s Ma Ying-jeou was Taiwan’s president. Taiwan has not been able to participate in the WHO as an observer since then.
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