Taiwan recently participated online in a World Health Organization forum on the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak under the designation "Taipei." Several former Department of Health ministers convened a press conference on Feb. 13 to seek five million signatures for their petition for Taiwan to join the WHO.


On Feb. 11 and 12, the World Health Organization convened a forum of experts in Geneva to discuss the global fight against coronavirus disease 2019. Four hundred experts from around the world participated. Taiwan was allowed to participate online under the designation "Taipei." Some believe Taiwan was diminished. On Feb. 13, several former Department of Health ministers including Chang Bo-ya, Twu Shiing-jer, Yeh Ching-chuan, and Yang Chih-liang convened a press conference to seek five million signatures for their petition for Taiwan to join the WHO and let the WHO see Taiwan's determination.

The World Health Organization should not be a political subject. It should focus on health and disease.

There are deep bloodline and cultural connections between the two sides of the strait, but they have completely different forms of government. The form of government is one issue, and the people are another one. When you mix politics and the people, you create many problems.

Yang said Taiwan never tried to cover up the outbreak, and emphasized that Taiwan and China have different forms of government. He claimed this shows that Taiwan's inability to join the WHO is the world's loss, as well as China's loss. He urged Xi Jinping to think more clearly. Meanwhile, Yeh, who helped in the response to the SARS epidemic, said Taiwan should join the WHO under the three principles of significance, dignity, and fairness.

We should fight for whatever we can get. Our participation will show Taiwan's medical treatment strengths, which is what is most important. That is also dignity.

The petition organizer said people can sign the petition online starting on Feb. 13, and it is hoped that political factors can be removed in this crucial juncture in disease prevention to prioritize the health and well-being of the public.



因應新型冠狀肺炎疫情，世界衛生組織11、12日在瑞士日內瓦舉行專家技術會議，全球400名專家參與，最後WHO僅同意我方以「Taipei」名義，線上參與論壇，被外界認為受到矮化。歷任衛生署長張博雅、涂醒哲、葉金川、楊志良等人13日召開「台灣挺進WHO」記者會，要號召500萬人民連署，讓WHO看見台灣的決心。

前衛生署長 張博雅表示：「世界衛生組織，不應該是一個政治的題材，這應該是健康跟疾病的問題。」

前衛生署長 楊志良表示：「兩岸血緣文化高度連結，但是政治體制完全不同，所以政治體制是一件事，人民是一件事，你把政治跟人民搞在一起，就會造成很多的困難。」

楊志良強調台灣從不隱藏疫情，中國和台灣的政治體制完全不同，更表示台灣無法加入WHO是全球損失，更是中國的損失，呼籲習近平腦袋要清楚一點。曾經歷過抗SARS過程的前衛生署長葉金川認為台灣要在有意義、尊嚴和公平三個原則下，加入WHO。

前衛生署長 葉金川表示：「能夠爭取到什麼程度，就去爭取到什麼程度，我們參加能夠表現台灣的醫療實力，這個才是最重要的，那這個就是尊嚴。」

「台灣挺進WHO」連署活動負責人表示13日起，發動民眾上網參與，希望防堵疫情的關鍵時刻，政治因素應被排除，一切以人民健康福祉為優先。