MOFA STRIVES FOR TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN WHA |中國續外交打壓 醫界憂無法參與WHA

Since the Tsai Administration took office, Taiwan's attempt to participate in international organizations has faced pressure from Beijing. Despite the successful participation in the World Health Assembly last year, Taiwan's participation was blocked in the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change later on. The medical community worried that Taiwan might not receive the invitation to the upcoming WHA in May. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it will strive hard to get Taiwan invited this year. Last year, Taiwan successfully attended the World Health Assembly after receiving a last-minute invitation, in which the One-China principle was emphasized. As Taiwan's participation in international organizations has faced pressure from China since the Tsai Administration took office, the medical community worried that Taiwan may not receive the invitation to the upcoming WHA in May. ==LIN SHIH-CHIA, Ex. Dir., Foundation of Medical Pros Alliance in Taiwan== Overall, the possibility of Taiwan being invited is bleak. Even if we are invited, we will definitely be given a hard time. Although the then Health Minister avoided using the term Taiwan in his WHA speech last year in hopes of getting a friendly response from China, Taiwan was still blocked for participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The medical community and the academia believed that the writing is on the wall for Taiwan to receive this year's invitation to WHA meetings. ==YEN CHEN-SHEN, Researcher, Inst. of Int'l Relations, NCCU== Our participation in international organizations starting from last year has been basically the way it is now. We will not be invited to the WHA just like those years before 2008. It is expected that the status quo will remain the same before the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is held. Taiwan's participation in this year's WHA meetings seems unlikely. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it will continue to work hard to get this year's invitation. TRANSLATED BY：LUKE CHIANG 去年前衛福部長林奏延順利率團出席世界衛生大會WHA，不過，其實，我方幾乎是在出發前，才收到邀請函，邀請函中還加註「一中原則」。今年WHA會期將從5月22日到31日，面對蔡政府上台後，台灣國際空間陸續遭到中國大陸打壓，醫界擔心，今年有可能收不到邀請函。 ==台灣醫界聯盟基金會執行長 林世嘉== 整體而言其實台灣拿到邀請函的狀況 就不會太樂觀 即便是有 他一定是想盡辦法穿小鞋 去年林奏延參加WHA在台上演說時，對於「台灣」隻字未提，只提到「中華台北」，希望換取對岸善意的回應，但後續的國際民航組織(ICAO)以及聯合國氣候公約大會(UNFCCC)等，還是遭到封殺，兩岸關係進入冰凍期，不只醫界悲觀，學界也不看好，認為今年收不到WHA邀請函恐怕是有跡可循。 ==政大國關中心研究員 嚴震生== 去年到現在我們在 國際組織的空間的情形 大概就是如此了 WHA(邀請函)是拿不到的 就是回到了2008年以年的局面 外界分析，中共今年十九大前，內部權力分擾不會停止，在維穩的前提下，對台灣問題的處理方式，暫時不會改變，也讓台灣受邀出席WHA增添變數。外交部表示，過去WHA都在三月陸續寄出邀請函，今年還要全力以赴，希望能再度受邀出席。 記者 林欣儀 彭耀祖 台北報導