FAPA Hails Passage of 1794:
Taiwan’s Participation in WHO

The Senate today passed HR 1794, a bill calling for Taiwan’s “appropriate and meaningful participation in the World Health Organization” and requiring a report to the Congress from the Secretary of State not later than January 1, 2000 regarding “efforts of the Secretary to fulfill the commitment made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to move actively support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.”

“Congress’ action sends a clear message from the American people – let Taiwan be Taiwan and drop the phony One-China policy,” said the bill’s author Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).  “Good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world.  Passage of this bill shows Congress’ full support for the people of Taiwan’s right to participate in the WHO and also their right to determine their own future, as laid down in article 1 of the UN charter. This is not only a major step toward Taiwan’s membership in the WHO, but also a step toward Taiwan’s membership in international organizations in general.”

“Passage of this bill puts Taiwan where it belongs, front and center in the community of nations,” said Chen Wen-yen, FAPA’s President. “The bill unmasks the absurdity of a “One China” policy whereby the UN had to get China’s permission to provide humanitarian relief to Taiwan after the devastating September earthquake.  For the first time ever, Congress is requiring the State Department to find a role for Taiwan in the most beneficial of all international institutions – the WHO.  This is an important first step toward full recognition of Taiwan as a state among equals.”

The legislation echoes Senate Resolution 26, authored by Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK), and passed unanimously by the Senate on April 12.  The State Department ignored SR 26’s non-binding request for a report by April 20, 1999 by the Secretary of State on efforts to implement the 1994 Review.  HR 1794 puts binding legislative muscle behind the call for active efforts on Taiwan’s behalf by State.

“The Clinton Administration, as part of the Taiwan Policy Review in 1994, pledged to actively support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations that accept non-states as members and to look for ways to have Taiwan’s voice heard in international organizations where membership is not possible.  The Administration has let six years go by without taking concrete steps to advance this policy,” said Senator Murkowski when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the legislation on November 3, 1999.

For more information: FAPA 202-547-3686.

(The Formosan Association for Public Affairs is a Washington based non-profit organization that promotes freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Taiwan.)

 106th CONGRESS
  H. R. 1794
 Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO)
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 May 13, 1999
Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself and Mr. CHABOT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

A BILL
Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO).
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO).
(a) FINDINGS- The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world and access to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary to help guarantee this right.
(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation forums and programs is therefore crucial, especially with today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as AIDS.
(3) The World Health Organization (WHO) set forth in the first chapter of its charter the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people.
(4) In 1977, the World Health Organization established `Health For All By The Year 2000' as its overriding priority and reaffirmed that central vision with the initiation of its `Health For All' renewal process in 1995.
(5) Taiwan's population of 21,000,000 people is larger than that of 3/4 of the member states already in the World Health Organization.
(6) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and the first to be rid of polio and provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations.
(7) The World Health Organization was unable to assist Taiwan with an outbreak of enterovirus 71 which killed 70 Taiwanese children and infected more than 1,100 Taiwanese children in 1998.
(8) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist financially or technically in WHO-supported international aid and health activities, but has ultimately been unable to render such assistance.
(9) The World Health Organization allows observers to participate in the activities of the organization.
(10) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations.
(11) In light of all of the benefits that Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization could bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its 21,000,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the World Health Organization.
(b) REPORT- Not later than January 1, 2000 the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Congress on the efforts of the Secretary to fulfill the commitment made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to more actively support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, in particular the World Health Organization (WHO).