Taiwan's efforts to participate in WHA unsuccessful for 10th time

        The 59th World Health Assembly (WHA)--the annual meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) nearly 200 member states--is taking place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, May 22-27.

        According to an official press release, during the week-long meeting, the following issues are scheduled to be discussed: strengthening pandemic-influenza preparedness and response; polio eradication; infant and young-child nutrition; sickle-cell anemia; smallpox eradication and the destruction of variola virus stocks; prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment; international trade and health; the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; intellectual property rights; and the WHO Eleventh General Programme of Work, 2006-2015.

        Despite the fact that the aforementioned issues are regarded as important and crucial to every human being, and are of concern to all countries around the world, every year it seems that every country's health professionals have their hands full just being responsible for the health of their citizens. Only Taiwan--a country some call an "international orphan"--has had a unique role in the annual WHA meeting for almost a decade, since 1997.

        In that year, the ROC government for the first time pushed for Taiwan's participation in the WHO. This year is the 10th consecutive year that Taiwan has launched a bid for observer status, and it is the WHA's 10th consecutive time turning it down. "I know the story," muttered one worker at the Palais des Nations upon seeing Taiwanese activists gather around the perimeter of the building as the meeting time approached.

        Taiwan does not want this unique role at every WHA meeting. However, China's continuous pressure has forced the WHO to violate its principle of universality, which aims to protect people's health without discrimination.

        The first plenary meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 22, was suspended for half an hour and began with a moment of silence for Lee Jong Wook, the WHO director-general who died at 7:43 that very morning. He had been in hospital since Saturday to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain.

        Michael Kau, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, who learned of the news when it was officially announced at the conference, expressed his deepest condolences, saying that Lee had had a "friendly attitude" toward the Taiwan issue.

        "Lee had played a debatable role for Taiwan's participation in WHO," Kau said, adding, "On the one side, he had to consider the health rights of Taiwanese, but on the other side, he had to suffer pressure from China." In the future, as international health systems become sounder and get more emphasis, it will become less and less possible for a single heavyweight such as the WHO director-general or a single member state to block international trends, Kau said, implying that Taiwan will see progress in future membership bids.

        "It has been a world trend for every country including Taiwan to participate in the WHO," Kau said.

        In the afternoon of May 22, Gambia and Belize, two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, submitted a motion to debate the issue of Taiwan's participation in WHO activities despite obstruction from China and Cuba. Later that afternoon, representatives from Malawi, Pakistan, Palau and China gave speeches on the issue, offering their viewpoints about whether the WHO should let Taiwan participate in its activities. While Pakistan and China were strongly against it, Malawi and Palau said Taiwan should have a right to participate in WHO activities. The "one-China" principle remains the root of all disagreements between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

        According to the representative from Malawi, the world is beguiled by the "one-China" myth. Taiwan only humbly asks to participate in the WHO activities as an observer, not a member-state, he pointed out, and the "one-China" question does not enter into it. Palau, on the other hand, using itself as an example, spoke of the importance of health for a small country.

        After the speeches, it was announced at the conference that, because member states could not reach a consensus on the Taiwan issue, it would not be listed on this year's agenda. The four speeches attracted Taiwanese audience members, and the mood of the crowd--displayed in hoots and hollers--rose and fell with the content of each speech.

        Kau, along with ROC Health Minister Hou Sheng-mou, spoke to the Taiwanese press after the four speeches. Kau reiterated the government's strategy of seeking "meaningful participation" in WHO activities. He said this meant increasing Taiwanese participation at WHO technical meetings, adhering to the International Health Regulations and participating actively in the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

        Although Kau said it would take more time to decide what name Taiwan will use in next year's WHO bid, Wu Shuh-min said the answer is easy: Taiwan. Wu is the head of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan and an ambassador-at-large.

        

President calls Taiwan's exclusion from WHO 'unethical'

        President Chen Shui-bian urged E.U. member states May 19 to continue their support for Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Assembly (WHA)--the decision-making arm of the Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO), calling Taiwan's continued exclusion from the global disease prevention system "unfair" and "unethical." Chen made the appeal in a videoconference with prominent European opinion leaders in Geneva, Switzerland to garner support for Taiwan's 2006 WHA bid prior to the opening of this year's WHA on May 22. The videoconference was organised by the European Institute for Asian Studies and attended by more than 100 journalists, academics, members of the European Parliament, NGO representatives and diplomats from ROC allies stationed in Geneva.

        In his address to the conference participants, Chen said that because of China's relentless oppression, Taiwan has been shut out of the United Nations and all of its affiliates, including the WHO. As a result, he said, the 23 million Taiwanese people and nearly 400,000 foreign residents in Taiwan are being deprived of their rights. "This is completely unfair, and might even be called unethical," Chen declared.

        Chen pointed out that the European Parliament passed a resolution May 18 in support of Taiwan's endeavor and has called for the immediate inclusion of the Center for Disease Control Taiwan, ROC as a participant in the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. He expressed his gratitude, on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, to the E.U. member states for this resolution, as well as for their support over the years of Taiwanese participation in WHO-sponsored activities.

        Taiwan understands the reality of international politics and therefore has sought to avoid disputes concerning sovereignty and politics by only applying, with "humility and sincerity," for observer status in the WHA, Chen said, rather than demanding formal membership in the WHO. Chen expressed regret over the repeated rejection of Taiwan's request.

        The president also condemned China for pressuring the United Nations into denying Taiwanese journalists access to the WHA proceedings.

        Noting that Taiwan would be knocking at the WHO's door in three days for the 10th time, Chen said whether Taiwan's efforts will succeed this year is certainly important, but these efforts are "no less meaningful if, during the course of the appeal, the global community can come to better understand the unfair and unreasonable treatment that Taiwan's people receive in the world arena, and if we can make more friends and win greater support." The videoconference was presided over by Willem van der Geest, director of the European Institute of Asian Studies. During the two-hour videoconference, Chen also exchanged views with prominent European opinion leaders on a range of other issues, including cross-strait ties and Taiwan's relations with European countries.

        Philippe Regnier, director of the Centre for Asian Studies at the University of Geneva, asked the president if it would be possible for Taiwan to develop relations with China under the model of a confederation, similar to that of the Canton of Geneva and the Swiss Confederation. In response, Chen stressed that the political future of Taiwan may take any form, as long as it comes with the consent of the people of Taiwan.

        "We hold nothing against China," Chen explained, "nor do we view the 1.3 billion people of China as enemies." He added, however, that he does not believe conditions are ripe for such a model, nor does he believe that Taiwan's people would accept a confederation with China. He explained that this is because China has repeatedly tried to belittle Taiwan and marginalise the country, and has refused to deal with its democratically elected government.

        Chen added that his administration would be willing to start negotiations on any issue with the Chinese government under the principles of sovereignty, democracy, parity and peace.

        

 

National security report lists threats to Taiwan

 

        The concept of "sustainable democracy" and the "pursuit of dialogue and peace" should be the two strategic axes around which Taiwan's future development should rotate, according to ROC President Chen Shui-bian.

        It is on these grounds, Chen revealed, that his office prepared a 155-page report on national security. The Office of the President released the nation's first National Security Strategy Report to the public on May 20--the sixth anniversary of Chen's election as president. It addresses the domestic and international threats that Taiwan faces today and outlines strategies to respond to them.

        The five-chapter report lists various threats to Taiwan, including the military expansion of China, maritime conflicts over resources, China's stifling of Taiwan in the diplomatic arena, various economic threats, changing demographics, threats posed by land and infrastructure destruction, disease epidemics, biological terrorism, threats to information security, and the overall threat posed by China.

        "The major and greatest threats to traditional and non-traditional security for Taiwan undoubtedly come from China," the report reads. While the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have engaged in a flurry of exchange activities over the past 20 years, especially cultural and economic exchanges, there is long-term stagnation on the political front that has led to tension. Social instability and other domestic problems within the People's Republic of China since the nation's economic takeoff are also worrying Taiwanese security strategists.

        Taiwan's over-reliance on the Chinese market, Beijing's constant effort to curb Taiwan's economic activities abroad, and the likelihood of China imposing an economic blockade against Taiwan prior to a military attack all serve to undermine Taiwanese security, according to the report.

        Judging from the situation, China is reaping political gains by economically absorbing Taiwan. According to the report, China absorbed 37.8 percent of Taiwanese exports and accounted for almost 71 percent of all ROC government-approved outbound investment last year. Over 42 percent of Taiwanese products are manufactured outside of Taiwan--mostly in China--as of last December, with the ratio for the high-tech information technology sector hitting 73 percent.

        Taiwan needs to develop a knowledge-based economy, the report suggests. The transformation of the industrial structure will help reduce the nation's dependence on traditional energy resources and fend off China's influence. It is thus the only way to ensure sustainable economic growth, to strengthen the nation's long-term competitiveness, and to cope with challenges arising from globalisation.

        It also states that the government must strengthen its position in multilateral trade talks by forming a resilient trans-agency negotiation representative group in order to break through the constraints caused by China's effective containment of Taiwan in the diplomatic arena.

        The report also suggests ways to reduce threats from China and the military tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. It suggests a demilitarized zone be established, where military aircraft or vessels could not enter without notifying the other side in advance. Moreover, a military consultative mechanism and a hotline should be established between Taipei and Beijing to prevent any possible military conflagration due to miscommunication.

        In addition to establishing a mutually interactive framework for cross-strait stability, the government should work to democratise China and reduce the freedom gap produced by the divergent paths of political development taken by the two sides, according to the report.

        In addition to ensuring national security and sustainable economic growth, the president wrote in the preface to the report that it is necessary for the Taiwanese people to work together in the pursuit of further democratic reform, thereby enhancing social justice and creating a sound civil society.

        The report claims that Taiwan is made up of various ethnic groups, and it identifies a social division on the issue of national identity. This division threatens the solidarity of the nation and its commitment to defending itself. The document therefore suggests promoting the idea of "ethnic diversity in a unified state." It urges the government to "rebuild social trust, respect the historical feelings of all ethnic groups and establish national identity based on citizen consciousness." Other national security strategies detailed in the report include accelerating the transformation of national defense; raising the defense budget to 3 percent of gross domestic product; upholding maritime interests; diversifying foreign policy strategies and using Taiwan's core value of democracy to gain support; enacting rational immigration, labor and welfare policies; recovering land and natural resources; strengthening disaster-control mechanisms; and constructing an information security system.

        Taiwan Thinktank held a press conference May 21 to offer its analysis of the report's findings. Chen Po-chih, chairman of the think tank, pointed out that national security is impossible to guarantee without a consensus among the people and a strong will to defend the country. It is up to the nation's political and academic leaders to help form a common will among the people before any of the government's national security policies can be put into action.

        Lai I-chung, another member of Taiwan Thinktank, argued that the government report falls short by failing to delineate specific threats and response measures, especially those resulting from China's expansion.

        The 2006 National Security Report was drafted by the National Security Council over the past 12 months. The council interviewed senior security personnel and high-ranking officials before submitting it to the president for his final input.

 

New law governs search for nuclear waste site

 

        The Legislature passed legislation April 28 that governs how officials must go about locating a storage site for Taiwan's low-level radioactive waste. According to the new law, the government must obtain approval from residents of any area being considered as a disposal site for the thousands of barrels now stored on Orchid Island, as well as for additional waste being generated by the nation's three nuclear power plants. Residents must decide, via plebiscite, whether or not they will accept such a storage facility in their backyard before the central government can shortlist the site for final selection.

        The law also stipulates that the administration responsible for operating the nuclear waste storage facility--which is the state-run utility Taiwan Power Co., or Taipower--must pay a maximum of US$156.5 million in compensatory remuneration to residents of whatever location is chosen as a depository for the waste. The law directs the Ministry of Economic Affairs to form a panel of independent experts and members of related agencies to identify potential waste disposal sites. This committee must propose at least two sites prior to final selection.

        After the initial list of potential sites is released to the public, individuals, agencies and organizations may submit their opinions for discussion and debate for a period of six months. During this period of public discussion, the relevant county governments will hold a vote to let residents decide if they agree with the locations in question.

        The regional plebiscite held for this purpose may exclude the application of related regulations of the nation's Referendum Act. If residents disapprove of their town for the site of the waste disposal, the site cannot be shortlisted again.

        Only areas that are not affected by excessive earthquakes due to their proximity to fault lines, or to instability caused by other geological processes, can be considered as storage depots for the dangerous waste. Likewise, districts that have been designated environmentally protected areas should be excluded.

        The plebiscite clause was initiated by Kuomintang legislator Justin Huang and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Cheng Yun-peng. Huang said he was pleased to see that the version of the bill that incorporated his referendum mechanism passed, and added that all levels of government must abide by the law and proceed with the selection of a new storage site in a manner that is transparent and accountable to the public.

        Officials of the DPP-led government have long been mulling over a regulation that would solve the controversial issue of where to dispose of the nation's low-level nuclear waste, which for over 20 years has been stored at a facility on Orchid Island, also known as Lanyu.

        The country's first nuclear power plant went into operation in 1977. According to Niclas Ericsson writing in the Harvard Asia Quarterly, that same year, the government proposed building a factory to create jobs on Orchid Island, located 42 kilometers off the southeast coast of Taiwan proper. The island is inhabited primarily by members of the Yami aboriginal ethnic group, also known as the Tao. Once the ROC Atomic Energy Council (AEC) completed construction in 1982, it was discovered that the facility was actually a storage site for nuclear waste. Since 1982, Taipower has been dumping its low-level nuclear waste there. The AEC handed managerial control of the facility over to Taipower in 1990 on the condition that the waste be relocated elsewhere by the end of 2002.

        Since the 1980s, the Yami have been appealing to the government to remove the waste from their land, staging protests and sit-ins to let the public know about their cause.

        During the presidential campaign of 2000, Chen Shui-bian promised the residents of Orchid Island that, if elected president, he would have the waste removed by 2002.

        Taiwan's Central News Agency quoted a local politician as saying that many residents of Orchid Island actually would not mind keeping the waste storage facility right where it is. As compensation for putting up with the nuclear waste stored on Lanyu, Taipower provides free electricity and health insurance payments, as well as other monetary compensation, to the residents of the economically depressed area. If the waste were removed, few people would be able to afford such amenities. The politician in question made the comments on condition of anonymity.

        Meanwhile, long-term observers of the anti-nuclear waste movement on the tiny island deplore the situation facing the island's inhabitants.

        "It is difficult to oppose nuclear energy, especially on remote Orchid Island," said Ho Tsung-hsun, secretary-general of Taiwan Environmental Protection Union. He explained that many residents feel they have to make compromises because of the social and financial disadvantages they face.

        Taipower confirmed that, since 2003, its waste management personnel have been inspecting and refurbishing the nuclear waste storage bins in preparation for removing them from the island. Of the 97,672 barrels of nuclear waste being stored on Orchid Island, 8,684 have been inspected and prepared. The job is expected to take until 2010.

        Huang's constituency is in Taitung County, under whose jurisdiction Orchid Island falls. He said he welcomed passage of the bill but was absolutely opposed to having any more radioactive waste stored in his constituency. The government has long been eyeing parts of Dawu Township of the same county as an alternative to the Orchid Island storage facility.

              

 

 

 

 

Tzu Chi group celebrates 40th anniversary as Taiwan's premier charitable association

 

        One woman's mission to help those less fortunate than her in the name of Buddhism started more than 40 years ago. Today, her labors have grown into a transnational organisation that easily rivals most governments in terms of efficiency and end results. Led by Master Cheng Yen, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation can mobilize its relief personnel to respond to disasters in the world's remotest places at an unbelievable speed, all the while continuing with its humanitarian projects in Taiwan and abroad. As the organisation celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, many are looking at how far the group has come from its humble beginnings, knitting socks for poor Hualien infants.

        Cheng Yen founded the Tzu Chi Foundation in 1966. Since then, the group has been involved in charity work, community service and outreach programs, especially medical, educational and disaster relief. Meanwhile, the foundation provides long-term assistance to more than 30,000 families in Taiwan. Over 135,000 people have received medical help or emergency relief from the foundation, which has over 4.5 million members at its 239 branches in 40 countries.

        The presence of Tzu Chi was felt, among dozens of other places, in Iran and El Salvador after those countries experienced deadly earthquakes, as well as in Indonesia and Sri Lanka after the tsunami hit. It was active running relief camps for Hurricane Katrina victims; in Afghan refugee centers; in the homes of AIDS-afflicted orphans in South Africa; and in Taiwan after a deadly earthquake killed thousands in 1999. The well-organised Tzu Chi is always on the front lines, ready to deliver help, and it carries on until its work is through and its mission complete.

        A celebration marking the founding of the group was held in Hualien, where Tzu Chi is headquartered. A letter was read from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who congratulated the foundation on its 40th birthday.

        "As a nongovernmental organisation associated with the Department of Public Information, you have pursued efforts worldwide in the fields of health care, education, humanitarian relief, community service and environmental protection. Through your poverty eradication programmes, as well as building schools, hospitals and homes for victims of natural disasters, you are actively contributing towards the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals," Annan's letter reads. It concludes by echoing Tzu Chi's core belief that "the well-being of our world requires the transformation of human hearts." Tzu Chi foundation became a U.N.-affiliated nongovernmental organisation in December 2003 after it contributed to relief efforts immediately after Islamic fundamentalists attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

        On May 14, Tzu Chi chapters all around Taiwan held their own celebrations at which their members ritualistically bathed the Buddha. Members of the public were invited to take part in order to "cleanse their own hearts and respect the other as a Buddha," as Cheng Yen teaches.

        Other celebratory activities include the mobilization of over 30,000 members to sweep the streets of Taiwan on April 22, World Earth Day; a number of lectures held at branch offices throughout the world; and an exhibition of old photos that show where Tzu Chi volunteers have left their imprint and how they have helped change lives for the better.