US EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN IN WHA |AIT主席:美歡迎台灣參與世界衛生大會

Taiwan has yet to receive an invitation to the World Health Assembly (WHA) as the meeting is about to begin. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said complicated factors might be the reason. On April 25th, AIT Chair James Moriarty expressed US support publicly and said that the US welcomes Taiwan's participation in the WHA as an observer. This is the first time a US official has voiced support for Taiwan's participation in public. Vice President Chen Chien-jen, along with AIT Chair James Moriarty, joined the US-Taiwan Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) workshop held in Taipei. The two have worked on issues concerning international public health for the fourth time since the workshop was established last June. Moriarty even said publicly that U.S. has welcomed Taiwan's participation in the WHA as an observer. ==JAMES MORIARTY AIT Chair== We continue to support Taiwan's meaningful substantial contributions to the international community. In particular, the United States has welcomed Taiwan's participation as an observer for the past 8 WHA meetings. We look forward to Taiwan's continued participation at this important event. This is the first time a U.S. official publicly voiced support for Taiwan's participation in the WHA since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. Vice President Chen mentioned that in 2003, during his period in office as the Minister of Department of Health, SARS broke out and the request for assistance from the WHO was turned down. Instead, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention helped keep the diseases under control. Vice President Chen was grateful to US, emphasizing cooperation on the field with nations worldwide is a win-win situation. ==CHEN CHIEN-JEN Vice President== Allow me to express my deep appreciation to the US government and the AIT, our government colleagues, all the participating countries and to all of you here. I assure you that Taiwan will continue to be an indispensable partner to the international community in preventing disease and safeguarding public health. The WHA is to be held on May 22nd. Taiwan has yet to receive an invitation before the deadline for online registration on May 8th. The MOFA said complicated factors might get in the way in the course of application for the WHA. ==ELEANOR WANG MOFA spokesperson == We face a more difficult and complicated situation this year. Although there is a slim chance of obtaining the invitation, we will keep working hard for it. The MOFA has yet to respond directly to whether the one-China policy is the reason behind the blocking of the invitation, emphasizing that application for the WHA did not go smoothly as before. However, the MOFA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare will keep working hard to push for an invitation. TRANSLATED BY：BRYANT CHANG 世界衛生大會開會在即，台灣到現在尚未收到邀請函，外交部坦言的確感受到比較複雜的因素，美國在臺協會主席莫健今天公開表示支持，美國歡迎台灣以觀察員身分參加WHA，這也是美國總統川普上任後，第一次有美方官員在公開場合支持台灣參加WHA。 副總統陳建仁和美國在台協會主席莫健共同參加台美全球合作暨訓練架構GCTF研習營，這是去年六月成立後，雙方第四度就國際重大公衛議題合作，莫健甚至公開支持，表示美國歡迎台灣以觀察員身分參加WHA。 ==美國在台協會主席 莫健== 美國持續支持台灣 在國際社會上 做出有意義的實質貢獻 我們歡迎台灣以觀察員的身分 參加過去八屆的世界衛生大會 也期盼台灣繼續參與 這個重要的會議 這也是美國總統川普上任後，第一次有美方官員，在公開場合，支持台灣參加WHA，陳建仁提到，2003年擔任衛生署長時，爆發SARS向WHO求助遭到拒絕，是美國疾管署派員協助控制疫情，除了感謝美國，也強調讓台灣與全球在這個領域合作會是「雙贏」的政策。 ==副總統 陳建仁== 非常謝謝美國政府 AIT 我國政府官員 讓台灣繼續成為國際合作的夥伴 促進全球健康議題 不可或缺的一員 世界衛生大會將在5月22號展開，網路報名5月8號截止，到現在台灣尚未收到邀請函，外交部坦言，在努力的過程中，的確感受到比較複雜的因素。 == 外交部發言人 王珮玲== 所面臨的情勢比往年 更加困難 也更加複雜 目前的進展雖然不容樂觀 但仍然會持續全力以赴 是不是因為一個中國因素受阻？外交部沒有正面回應，但強調從各方訊息來看，沒有以往順利，外交部和衛福部還是會持續全力以赴。 記者 林欣儀 彭耀祖 台北報導