Taiwan is in urgent need of a vaccine to control the epidemic as it heats up, and good news has come from the United States. U.S. Health Secretary Becerra held a videoconference with Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung on Taipei time 21, and both sides exchanged views on the epidemic and Taiwan’s international participation and other related issues, and the U.S. also expressed support for Taiwan to obtain a vaccine. In addition, 13 of Taiwan’s friends also proposed support for Taiwan to attend the WHO (World Health Assembly) as an observer.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs tweeted an image of Secretary Becerra (Xavier Becerra) and Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung during a video message on the 21st. The tweet said the two discussed the current pandemic and global health issues, while mentioning that the U.S. supports Taiwan’s access to vaccines and also recognizes Taiwan’s contribution to health security and supports Taiwan’s return to the WHO as an observer.
Chen Shizhong said at a regular press conference on the 21st in response to a related question that the United States showed their friendly attitude toward Taiwan and reiterated their support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO. Also expressed recognition for Taiwan’s efforts in epidemic prevention over the past year, as well as its contribution to the world. “Our side also proposed to the United States, (in view of) the “memorandum of understanding on medical and health cooperation” signed last year, Taiwan hopes that the relevant medical and health cooperation can be strengthened.”
Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung explains the contents of the video conference with the U.S. health secretary on the 21st. (Provided by the Command Center)
Chen Shizhong: “We also proposed that the epidemic in Taiwan is rising and there is an urgent need for a vaccine during this period, and we hope to give support to Taiwan in the upcoming release of the vaccine. The U.S. Secretary of Health (said) will definitely support friendly countries, he will go back and report to the President, and the overall distribution will definitely take into account the needs of Taiwan.”
U.S. President Joe Biden recently said that 80 million doses of vaccine will be provided to countries in the world that need it. Taiwan, on the other hand, with a population of 23 million, has so far received only about 700,000 doses of AZ vaccine (AstraZeneca vaccine) from the United Nations.
In an interview with the station, Yan Chen-sheng, a researcher at the American and European Institute of the Center for International Relations Studies at National Chengchi University, argued that Taiwan’s epidemic has gone from a model birth to a major outbreak, gaining considerable attention from the international media in recent days, and it is only then that the international community has realized that Taiwan does not have a vaccine at all, but is fighting the epidemic by sheer willpower. “If the U.S. is really nice to us today, these pharmaceutical majors should simply authorize production and OEMs in Taiwan, so I think the U.S. could do more. We can get a nice friendly attitude from the U.S., but that friendly attitude has to translate into our international involvement.”
Taiwan’s 13 diplomatic states have co-signed in support of Taiwan’s participation in the WHO
The 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) will soon be held by video on the 24th. This year, Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, including 13 countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, and Swaziland, have proposed to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to “invite Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer Inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer” to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for inclusion in the agenda of this year’s WHO Assembly. The proposal was placed on the agenda of the WHO as a “supplementary item”.
Taiwan’s 13 diplomatic countries have signed a letter of support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO.
Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Tun-Han Chang responded on the 21st, saying that the firm support from friends and the international community for Taiwan is even warmer at a time when Taiwan is facing a new wave of epidemic challenges.
The spokesperson pointed out that although Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend the WHO conference so far, it will continue to work until the last minute to fight for the right to participate. The shout to the WHO, in response to the international community’s strong demand to support Taiwan’s participation in the WHO, “Let Taiwan Help” (let Taiwan help), will be more proof of “Taiwan Can Help” ( Taiwan Can Help” (Taiwan can help).
Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ou Jiang’an further said, “Our friends have always spared no effort to support our international participation and have actively assisted in a variety of ways, such as proposing, writing to the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and speaking for our country at WHA meetings. In addition, the Friends have also created greater international support for Taiwan’s bid to participate in the WHA through high-level government statements and voices in the media, as well as through resolutions or statements passed by the legislative branch.”
Taiwan currently has 15 diplomatic allies, except for the Holy See, and Paraguay is not on the list of co-signatories. Ou Jiang’an especially emphasized that Paraguay reiterated its firm support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO and the WHO Conference, and the Paraguayan government also sent a letter to WHO Director General Tan Desai on behalf of Taiwan, calling for Taiwan to be invited to attend this year’s WHA as an observer.Taiwan and Paraguay have a solid and friendly bond.
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