| Congress
of the United States
Committee
on International Relations
House
of Representatives
Washington
DC 20515 May 7, 2003
I
am pleased, as part of the annual Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month, to congratulate Taiwanese Americans on the proclamation of
Taiwanese American Heritage Week (TAHW) which is being celebrated
this year from May 11th to 18th. This annual commemoration
recognizes and honors the cultural, economic, artistic, scientific
and medical contributions made to the United States by Taiwanese
Americans. This celebration is also a vehicle to promote mutual
understanding between Taiwanese Americans and those Americans of
other ethnic groups, as well as to enhance mutual understanding and
cohesion among different generations of Taiwanese Americans.
The
recent outbreak in East Asia of severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
is a cause for great concern for all those with friends and
relatives living in that region, including members of our Taiwanese
American community. I wish to express to all of you both my personal
concern and that of the Congress for health of our many friends in
Taiwan, given the rapid spread of this deadly infection. Beijing's
decision, publicly announced this past weekend, to approve a mission
of the world Health Organization (WHO) to Taiwan to directly
coordinate international efforts to fight SARS is a welcome first
step. It remains, however, only a first step.
The
health crisis in East Asia, which has arisen as a result of this
outbreak, emphasizes the urgent need for Taiwan to have formalized
links with the WHO. Taiwan, although, in close proximity to the
epicenter of the SARS outbreak in southern China, remains locked out
of WHO participation due to narrow political motives. This
shortsighted attitude imperils not only the health of Taiwan's 23
million people, but also denies full regional coordination on a
continuing basis in fighting an epidemic which could potentially
threaten us all. The still unfolding SARS crisis only underscores
the need for WHO observer status for Taiwan. Following the recent
legislation on this issue approved by the International Relations
Committee and passed by the House of Representatives, it is my
sincere wish that the U.S. government will take the lead in lobbying
for this objective at the upcoming World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Considering all that the Taiwanese people and Taiwanese Americans
have accomplished in both the medical and other health fields, there
can be no complete satisfaction until Taiwan's status and global
contributions are fully respected and appreciated by the
international community.
Your
wholehearted support for the TAHW celebration as part of Asian
Pacific Heritage Month will help further the positive contributions
of Taiwanese Americans as they continue to make great strides in
bringing together the best of the East and the West. Together, we
can all make TAHW a valuable and enduring means of celebration for
our ethnic Taiwanese citizens.
Sincerely,
HENRY
J. HYDE
Chairman
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