Thanks, US! Taiwan gets its WHA invite as the economy keeps tanking....

Richard Kagan sent me this nice poster he made of Tsai making Taiwan green.

Taiwan finally got its invite to observe the World Health Assembly. The Taipei Times noted the problem:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced that the long-expected WHA invitation has finally arrived, yet, for the first time in history, UN Resolution 2758 and the “one China” principle are reported to have been specially noted on the invitation. This looks like manipulation by China to force president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration to recognize the so-called “1992 consensus.”

The Taipei Times and others are noting that these seemed aimed at Tsai Ing-wen: force Tsai to acknowledge that Taiwan is part of China. There were those who had been saying that Beijing would not even let an invite get sent out.

However, creatively exploited, Beijing is giving her an out. UN Resolution 2758 says nothing about the status of Taiwan. Tsai could probably find some language to leverage that.

It is also a very small thing, withal, and Taiwan can easily do without, if necessary. Note that if Beijing is punishing Taiwan, the punishments are not very severe.

The US led a push by several major western democracies to get this done. Great job, guys. Many thanks.

More ominous than the WHA is the evolving situation of Taiwan businessmen in China, who are facing increased hostility to their presence in China and falling levels of success, along with Taiwan bank exposure if China's economy seriously falters. The Yuan devaluation hit Taiwan's banking system hard, since so many punters were believing -- no, I kid you not -- that the Yuan would always go up...

The product causing the angst is a derivative called a target redemption forward (TRF). It pays the holder a monthly income so long as the yuan remains above a trigger price against the dollar. If the yuan falls, the investor has to payout.

For years, they seemed a sure bet to a steady income as the value of the yuan rose steadily against the dollar. The yuan's devaluation and subsequent slide have wiped away those assumptions and left many investors regretting the day they bought the product.

Banking industry analysts say the worst of the TRF crisis has passed, but Taiwan's banking industry is still vulnerable to swings in the Yuan. To use the TRF instrument, gamblers investors must make a refundable deposit with the bank which banks are liable for -- which means that they are exposed when their investors lose money.

 Taiwan's banks were seriously overexposed in China and began reducing exposure last year. 2015 was in fact the first year the industry as a whole in Taiwan experienced a loss (see Mathew Fulco's excellent piece on the shift from China towards ASEAN).

Will China use this instrument to punish Taiwan? With the economy now in recession (slowed even more than expected in Q1) and vulnerable banks, Tsai could well inherit a serious economic and financial crisis.

UPDATE: WHA invite (source)
Dr. Been-Huang Chiang 　　Minister 　　Ministry of Health and Welfare 10F. No. 488, Sec. 6, Zhongxiao E. Rd Nangang Dist., Taipei City 11558

6 May 2016

Dear Dr Chiang,

Recalling the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 （XXVI） and WHA Resolution 25.1, and in line with the One-China principle as reflected therein, I wish to invite you to head a delegation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chinese Taipei, to attend the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly as an observer. The Assembly will be convened at 9:30 on Monday, 23 May 2016, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland and will close no later than Saturday, 28 May 2016.

I would appreciate it if you could confirm to me your attendance and the names of attendees from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chinese Taipei, at your earliest convenience. Registration should be completed by9 May 2016.

Upon receipt of your confirmation, the Secretariat will forward to you the relevant documentation.

Yours sincerely, Dr Margaret Chan Director-General
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Daily Links:

• Taiwan: Leading the world in sustainable pork production
• China buys links on Facebook. LOLOL
• Vietnam police break up demonstration against Taiwanese firm in Vietnam for poisoning fish
• Jerome Keating reflects on the failed Ma Administration
• A really excellent feature article in TT on the 19th century limits of Qing control

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Euro Parliament Taiwan Friendship Group Head slams WHO

Big round of applause today for the EU and Charles Tannock:

Dr Tannock, who is the chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group, told Dr Chan in the letter that as a citizen of the People’s Republic of China she was calling into question her own integrity by instructing staff to take such an overtly political position in referring to Taiwan.

......

The letter read:

“No United Nations specialised agency has the right unilaterally to decide on the status in international law of any given country or territory.

“As you well know, UN agencies and their staff are required to remain impartial and not to take instructions from or show favour to any national government.

“We wish to remind you that neither UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 nor World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1 make any reference to Taiwan's status in international law or its status vis-à-vis the People's Republic of China.

“The WHO's explicit reference to Taiwan as a province of China has no basis in international law.

“It is therefore hard to avoid the conclusion that the People's Republic of China has deliberately sought to compromise the independence and impartiality of the WHO for its own political purposes.

“As Director-General of WHO, you are responsible for the internal policy of referring to Taiwan as a province of China.

“You are also a citizen of, and were nominated for your post by, the People's Republic of China.

“WHO's continued insistence on referring to Taiwan as a province of China therefore not only undermines the organisation's credibility but risks calling into question your personal impartiality and integrity.

“We believe the WHO's position on Taiwan is politically and morally flawed.

“We urge you to change WHO's internal procedures to refer to Taiwan as 'Chinese Taipei', the accepted nomenclature that Taiwan uses in other international organisations and structures.

“Finally, we believe that Taiwan, with its excellent healthcare sector and world-class doctors, has much to contribute to the WHO.

“Mindful of the Council of the European Union's declaration of support in September 2008 for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations, we urge you to ensure that Taiwan is enabled to play such a role within the WHO.

“Healthcare is a basic human right and should never be exploited as a political pawn.”

Slam! Slam! SLAM! Nice. Tannock connects the attack on Taiwan's status to the fact that the WHO director is from China. Of course! Also hacks on Chan's integrity. Orz Orz Orz.

Jim Webb, the Dem Senator from Virginia, also took time this week to slam Beijing for the growing tensions in the South China Sea, saying:

“I think we in our government have taken too weak of a position on this,” Webb, a member of US President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party from Virginia, said at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“When we say the United States government doesn’t have a position on sovereignty issues, not taking a position is taking a position,” Webb said.

The bill introduced by Webb and Senator James Inhofe, the subcommittee’s top Republican, “condemns the use of force” by China and affirms that the US military will “assert and defend freedom of navigation rights” in the South China Sea.

It would probably be much easier for the Obama Administration to take a stronger and more supportive position if the 2009 Nobel Peace prize winner were not engaged in at least four wars at the same time (Greenwald rips yet another illegal and unconstitutional war). Sooner or later I expect calls from smarter analysts to terminate our stupidity in the Middle East and focus on Asia, where the future is.

China meanwhile whined that "outsiders" should stay out of the South China Sea disputes. This is the same pattern we see with Taiwan -- China attempting to prevent internationalization and multilateralization of the issue. If the Spratlys were inhabited by 23 million people, Beijing would attempt to curb their international space and play games with their visas -- exactly the tactic it is taking in Arunachal Pradesh....
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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.

WHO Farce Reaches Next Level

Letter from Minister of Health, ROC, to WHO, about the name mess. Click on them to go to Flickr to see larger version.

The Ma Administration's response to the WHO flap reached a new low as the Minister of Health -- well, I'd like to say fired off a letter but I really don't know what verb phrase to reach for here. Anyway, somehow this marvelous communication was forwarded to its proper recipient, and was duly made public, where it immediately became the target of widespread laughter.

For it shows, more brilliantly than a PhD-length piece ever could, the Ma gov'ts contortions in trying to serve Beijing and get elected at the same time.

In the English translation, whenever the term "the nation", "our country", etc appears in the Chinese, the Minister substitutes "my" and "I" and "our". For example, the opening sentence in Chinese expresses the nation's utmost dissatisfaction with a policy that was no doubt negotiated by the KMT in the first place, in the English version, "I" am expressing utmost dissatisfaction. Similarly, down in paragraph six, "our nation's delegation" becomes "my delegation."

In paragraph two there is an interesting moment -- the term ROC is never used and the sovereignty of that nation is never insisted upon -- indeed, the author never names what nation he represents -- in English the writer refers to "the Department of Health of Chinese Taipei" but in Chinese the mysterious, never to be named nation appears as "Our nation's Department of Health". Taiwan appears a couple of times in the stock phrase "23 million people of Taiwan," as well as "Taiwan and its adjacent waterways and islands" and of course in the complaint itself. His signature says he is an official of "Chinese Taipei."

It is hard to imagine what the government was thinking -- did they not realize that anyone could compare the two letters to see how they handled the issue of ROC/Taiwan sovereignty and how they represented themselves to the WHO? Didn't any of the political appointees think of the coming election? Because it sure looks like they were stumbling over themselves to appease Beijing. Indeed, Ma himself, and his administration, often appear weak and floundering -- here was an opportunity to act tough at no cost, since the WHO isn't going to change its policy on Taiwan. Instead, they weaseled, and confirmed everyone's worst opinions.

Lost in this attempt to fog over what Taiwan is, the Minister is dead right on one point: the WHO is in violation of its own regulations in placing responsibility for the health of the Taiwanese with Beijing rather than with the Taiwan government (see paragraph 2). The WHO looks even worse for the wear.

Amazingly, a US official actually weighed in on the debate, even with a gaggle of Chinese brass in the US to re-establish mil-mil ties. Yes, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, had a few words for the WHO:

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said yesterday that no UN agency has the right to unilaterally determine Taiwan’s status. Sebelius’ remarks came amid ongoing controversy over Taiwan’s designation in the WHO.


“We have made it very clear to the WHO and I think the United States’ position is that no organization of the UN has a right to unilaterally determine the position of Taiwan,” Sebelius said on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva when asked by press about the matter. “It needs to be a resolution that includes China and Taiwan in a discussion and we would very much welcome that road forward.”

We made it clear to the UN appears to be an oblique reference to the flap in 2008 when then-President Chen Shui-bian sent a letter to UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon indicating Taiwan's interest in joining the world body and Ban erroneously responded that Taiwan was considered part of China by the UN. The US warned Ban that this was not the position of the United States nor other powers. Note that Sebelius' remarks are a version of the US position that the status of Taiwan is undetermined and that the issue must be settled peacefully -- kudos either to her for understanding this or to whoever briefed her. And thanks to whoever decided to permit her to say something.
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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.

Video of WHA officials rejecting a Taiwanese passport

Here the WHA refuses to accept a Taiwan passport. A disgusting, shameful kowtow to Beijing by individuals from democratic countries. Please spread this video far and wide.

Ma claimed that at the WHA Taiwan and China were equal yesterday:

President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday said that the health ministers from Taiwan and China are on equal footing at the World Health Assembly (WHA).

Ma's comment came as a clarification after a leaked World Health Organization (WHO) document shows that Taiwan is listed as a province of China.

A letter sent out by WHO Secretary-General Margaret Chan last September to WHO members referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan Province of China,” according to a report appearing in a local Chinese-language newspaper.

In response, President Ma explained that Taiwan's minister of health will receive equal treatment as his Chinese counterpart at the WHA meeting, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland on May 16-25.

Obviously not. ADDED: Don't miss this good analysis of the WHO flap in the Taipei Times.

UPDATE: The offending memo from here. It is an internal document that helps members describe how to refer to the nations of the world. Since it says UN policy is to annex Taiwan to China, this obviously begs the question of the existence of similar documents issued from places above the WHO's head:

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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.

WHO Dunnit?

The internal WHO memo on Taiwan has been in the news this week. The Taipei Times reported on FAPA's response to the revelations that China was controlling Taiwan's observer status at the World Health Assembly (Yay! We can observe an assembly!), the kind of thing that everyone was shocked, I tell you, shocked, to find out:

The Washington-based Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) says that the disclosure of an internal WHO memo instructing its agencies to refer to Taiwan as a province of China has sent “shockwaves” through the overseas Taiwanese community.

“The episode shows that the [President] Ma [Ying-jeou (馬英九)] administration has been deceptive and given the Taiwanese public an unwarranted rosy picture of the situation,” FAPA president Bob Yang (楊英育) said.
Dated Sept. 14 last year, the memo says that procedures used by the WHO to facilitate relations with Taiwan were subject to Chinese approval and that Taiwan “as a province of China, cannot be party to the International Health Regulations (IHR).”

In a statement distributed to the US press, FAPA said: “The information in the memo stands in stark contrast to the image presented by the Ma Ying-jeou administration, which emphasized that Taiwan’s observership — started in 2009 — amounted to ‘substantive participation’ and had come about as a result of direct negotiations with the WHO, without Chinese involvement.”

The truly sad part is that there was much bottom up pressure from other WHO nations in the developing world that have worked with Taiwan doctors for greater Taiwan participation in the WHO. But the KMT administration has handed over Taiwan's participation in the WHO and its various entities to China. I don't think anyone believed there wasn't this "Taiwan, Province of China" quid pro quo, but it is still nice to have confirmation of everyone's duplicity. Hopefully it will sway a few independent voters.

And it should also make you wonder.... since the WHO stuff was negotiated and then strenuously lied about, what about ECFA?

Meanwhile the KMT was attempting to push the blame onto the DPP for the use of "Taiwan, China" in WHO-related affairs....

Responding to Ma’s claim that the DPP administration condoned similar action, another DPP spokesperson, Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), said Ma “needed to take a look in the mirror.”

DPP lawmakers launched a fresh round of attacks earlier in the morning, accusing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of masterminding an agreement between Beijing and the WHO that relegated Taiwan’s status to that of a -Chinese province, as evidenced by the memo.

DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) said that a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding between China and the WHO, which referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China,” came shortly after closed-door talks between the KMT and Chinese officials.

This also highlights another issue in cross-strait negotiations: it is not Taiwan or even "the ROC" that is negotiating, but the KMT.
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Daily Links:

• US expert warns of PRC economic trap. It's obvious what is going on, yet American analysts insist that it is a really good idea that Taiwan is being handed over to the PRC. 
• Don't miss this Taipei Times editorial blast at Ma for patronizing the aborigines.
• Sinocentric explores Jay Chou and identity in the context of the Green Hornet movie.
• Back Alleys of Tainan, always a great topic.

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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.

Taidu Beauties Make Minister Yeh Cry

Minister Yeh was in Geneva to observe the World Health Assembly and lo and behold, a couple of fierce Taiwan independence babes assailed him. He convened an instant press conference, where he sniffled and whimpered. I'm with ya man, totally hot Taiwan girls have the same effect on me.

You can watch the event on video. I think I'll turn this one over to the pro-KMT China Post to watch The Message at work:

A dozen co-eds, who claim they are studying in European universities, badgered the MOH chief at the Intercontinental Hotel party about the title with which he is participating in the Geneva meeting of the decision-making body of the World Health Organization.

When they confirmed Yeh was representing “Chinese Taipei,” the bevy of girls accused him of selling out Taiwan. In particular, they charged him with attending the meeting as representative from “Taiwan, province of China,” the official U.N. designation of the island state.

Chinese Taipei is taking part in the meeting as an observer for the first time.

“A traitor,” one of the girls shouted.

That drew the indignant Yeh's cry-out. “Shame on you, all,” he blurted.

By trying to insult him, Yeh said, “These self-styled college students were not only insulting themselves, but all the people of Taiwan.”

After the protesting students had been led away, Yeh called a crash press conference, where he said nobody could accuse him of selling out Taiwan, the country he risked his life to save from the devastating SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic in 2003.

....

And where was President Chen's son-in-law when the SARS epidemic hit Taiwan?” Yeh asked. Chao Chien-ming, an orthopedic surgeon at the Taiwan University Hospital, asked for a long leave of absence to avoid seeing patients for fear that he might be infected.

As you can see, for the KMT, it all comes back to Chen Shui-bian. Whenever something goes wrong -- quick! Mention Chen Shui-bian! If the car doesn't start, A-bian took the spark plug. If the dog craps on the rug, A-bian forgot to walk him. Pan-Blue couple getting a divorce? Affair with A-bian, of course. I hear the break-up of Pangaea was due to A-bian's malign influence.....

The leader of the pack was one Huang Hai-ning, aka the Taidu Spice Girl or the Taidu Beauty, according to the Liberty Times report today. The daughter of DPP politicians, originally hailing from Taichung county (she appears to have left when I arrived; this can't be a coincidence), she is studying in Paris, and drove down to Geneva to pay a call on the Health Minister. Good PR move....

J Michael pointed out that they did at least alert people to the fact that there were Taiwanese who were peeved and who were willing to risk arrest to let the world know. UPDATE: Got it totally wrong -- misunderstood the Liberty Times report. My bad guys. See comments for the corrections... I post one here:

I can translate, but don't have the time right now. The main point is that Taidu Spice Girl was extremely poised and extremely rational, and nothing like the China Post description or yours. She posed two very important questions repeatedly, the first being 1) What name is Taiwan joining the WHO under? Chinese Taipei or Province of China. The first is ugly, but the second is noxious and if used officially, would mean certain death to the international support Taiwan has built up worldwide over many years that is so crucial to its continued security. She later asks Yeh ironically to tell her what country she belongs to.

Yeh is completely off his rocker and his response in any normal situation would result in an immediate resignation. He was the one that yelled at the girl that she couldn't speak Taiwanese (she can), then says he "loves Taiwan more than her" (she says this is irrelevant and what's important are the implications for Taiwan's sovereignty). Yeh repeatedly yells at her that she is shameless, useless, an embarrassment, and tries to speak Taiwanese and English to shout her into submission. In one of the most absolutely noteworthy part of the clip, a KMT legislator tells Yeh that maybe he can speak to her and the media about their concerns in a "gentlemanly" manner.

No one accused Yeh of selling out Taiwan or was making a personal attack on Yeh. The student protesters outside were chanting "DON'T sell out Taiwan". All the language issues, the "who loves Taiwan more" issue--those were all brought up by Yeh himself in his nonsensical replies.

The girls, who in most news reports numbered two, but in the China Post became a dozen, were arrested briefly and then released. Naturally Minister Yeh threatened legal action -- in Taiwan.
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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

China (Province of Taiwan) on WHO website

The WHO on its database query site attempts to say that Taiwan is a province of China -- but in English, you can read those parentheses to say that China is a province of Taiwan. It's the kind of hilarious eff-up that happens when you kowtow. Meanwhile the map function disclaimer says that the political boundaries it draws don't mean anything -- if they don't mean anything, why then write "(Province of Taiwan)".

Just imagine if the WHO wasn't serving Chinese expansionism. They could keep their honor, and not look like idiots on their own websites. Oh, for an alternate universe....

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Daily Links

• Arthur Dent has a chilling chilling chilling video of how the police treat protesters. Watch the behavior of the man in the white shirt -- another strange case of the police failing to take action against people who interfere with protesters. This needs to go viral.
• Ed Friedman's piece in Dissent on how China is winning the war between authoritarianism and democracy.
• Chairman Tsai Ing-wen's open letter on the DPP English blog.
  

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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

From the Department of Manufactured News

I wish the DPP would stop the slamming of the WHA invitation -- which they themselves worked to achieve -- and take a more co-opting approach: "nice work in realizing our goal, Mr. KMT." Take credit for it, and give the occasional warning...

...AP's Peter Enav was the subject of an assault from the KMT for spoiling the Party's official line that the invitation was due to international pressure....

Ma held a news conference on Wednesday to break the news, saying participation in this year’s WHA was a result of Taiwan’s perseverance, China’s goodwill and support from the international community.

Enav had reported for the AP that the whole thing was due to negotiations with China. The Taipei Times report noted:

Government Information Office Minister Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) yesterday said AP should improve the quality of its reporting.

He said the original AP report had been cited by local media and that resulting damage to the ­government “was not minor.”

“To be honest, we were very troubled by the report … We think that such a professional news outlet should demand its news coverage achieve a certain quality,” Su said.

AP has not responded to the government’s demand. On Friday, Peter Enav, the report’s author and head of AP’s Taiwan bureau, declined to comment when contacted by the Taipei Times.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday reiterated that Taiwan’s accession to the WHA as an observer was the result of direct consultation with the WHO and not via Beijing.

But the Central News Agency (CNA) on Thursday quoted WHO spokesman Thomas Abraham as saying that the WHO had no involvement whatsoever in negotiations and that the director-general issued the invitation to Taiwan only after she was notified of the outcome of cross-strait negotiations.

In fact the previous day the Taipei Times had published a piece detailing this:

The WHO had zero involvement in Taiwan’s World Health Assembly (WHA) bid and WHO Director-General Margaret Chan’s (陳馮富珍) decision to invite Taiwan to be an observer at this year’s meeting came only after she was “notified” of the result of cross-strait negotiations, the world health body’s spokesman Thomas Abraham said.

“There’s no negotiation with the WHO. The WHO was not involved at all,” Abraham was quoted as saying by Central News Agency (CNA) reports filed from Geneva. He added that he did not know whether the director-general was notified by one or both parties of the outcome of the cross-strait talks.

The WHO spokesman’s remarks contradict statements from Department of Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川), who said yesterday in Taipei that Taiwan’s participation in this year’s WHA was the result of direct communication between Taiwan and the WHO, which did not go through China.

Obviously the KMT government is trying to play down the fact that (once again) they are owned by China. But the continuing appearance of this minor issue at the forefront of the news says to me that they are also perhaps trying to shift the focus from the recent talks in Nanjing, where things did not turn up rosy for them, or from some other thing that doesn't reflect well on the government. A common formula for manufactured news stories is Criticize the Foreigner. The criticism of AP's Enav -- a foreigner, thus pressing whatever xenophobic buttons are out there to be pressed -- a day after the government's own Central News Agency had reported the same story Enav did -- is just a way to create fake news to dominate the headlines. After all, why didn't they publically chastise the CNA for the original story?

Kudos to Enav for remaining silent and not stirring the pot further.

Also salient here is the remark that the AP's report was cited by the local media and did damage. Taiwanese and their media appear to consider external media reports to have more weight, and be validating, in a way that local media reports are not.

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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

WHA errata

Above is a copy of the letter sent by Dr. Margaret Chan to Taiwan. We're sending a strong team, in the long run, if China permits us to stay in, it will be good for Taiwan. And if China doesn't, it will be a black eye for them, just as the odious 2005 secret MOU suppressing Taiwan was. Kudos to the DPP for making this a national issue and pushing it hard. They boxed the KMT in on this one.

Speaking of that disgraceful, cowardly surrender to China on the part of the WHO, FAPA has the texts in .JPG format:

Page 1; Page 2; Page 3; Page 4; Page 5; Page 6

CleverClaire linked to a searchable text:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2fh6w_28cp7c2mf9

Finally, on swine flu, a friend flipped me the thoughts of Winne the Pooh:

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[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

Thoughts on WHA Observer Status and the Nanjing Talks

WHA observer status....Taiwan News reports on DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen's comments:

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen stated that the invitation issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) to Taiwan under the name of "Chinese Taipei" to attend the annual World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva this May "as an observor" had "abandoned" Taiwan's sovereignty and "lacks substantive meaning."

Speaking with reporters after the weekly meeting of the DPP Central Standing Committee, Tsai said that the letter sent by World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan to "Chinese Taipei" Department of Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan on Tuesday "appears to be a one-time invitation and the basis in WHO regulations for the invitation to attend the WHA as an observer is unclear."

Moreover, Tsai noted that Yeh was only referred as a "doctor" and that Taiwan is to be referred only as "Chinese Taipei," not as Taiwan or the Republic of China. The DPP chairwoman also observed that the letter did not mention the May 2005 secret memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the WHO Secretariat and the People's Republic of China which requires all WHO contacts with Taiwan to take place through Beijing's Ministry of Health under a "one China framework."

Tsai stated that if Chan's letter represented an "one time invitation and if the question of sovereignty remained darkly clouded, this invitation will lack substantial meaning."

"Any claim by the Ma government that takes this event as a diplomatic victory due to its policy of diplomatic truce will be a grave exaggeration and extremely inappropriate," said the DPP chairwoman, who added that "we do not yet know what was traded to gain this invitation."

Short version (1) it's only for this year, a one-time invite easily rescinded if a pro-Taiwan government comes to power (and the meeting begins on May 18, two days before the first anniversary of Ma's inauguration... lucky coincidence for the Prez); (2) we're "Chinese Taipei"; (3) obviously secret deals were made -- adamantly denied of course -- what were they?

That's the official negative reaction. Let's look at perhaps some positives. The Taipei Times says:

Participating in the WHA ­meeting as an observer means Taiwan would have no voting rights in the assembly or at the WHO. Observers are granted speaking rights at the WHA meeting, but can only attend the meetings and committee sessions held during the annual two-week assembly.

Yeh said that WHA observer status would ensure Taiwan has direct contact with the WHO in exchanging information to protect public safety and would enable Taiwan to share its expertise in public sanitation and disease prevention with other countries.

A very perspicacious friend of mine noted that this is incredibly important for Taiwan. Being able to network will enable Taiwan to set up exchanges with developing nations that want its medical expertise. In South America some nations have been asking for this for a decade, putting quiet pressure on Beijing to tamp down its irrational and provocative anti-Taiwan policies so that other nations can get the benefits of networking with our world class health professionals. Many of the health workers in these nations have been cultivated through programs erected by MOFA to bring professionals from less developed nations to Taiwan for cooperation, efforts that have paid off in increased profile for Taiwan in the world. WHA observer status means little as far as clout in the world, but could mean much in increased support for The Beautiful Island.

A concession here: Dr. Chan, head of the WHO, invited the "Department of Health", an entity that the PRC has long denied has any existence. So it is progress of sorts. "Chinese Taipei" is no big deal, we participate in many organizations under that moniker. It isn't ideal, but it could have been worse. It would be better if we had a pro-Taiwan government in power, one we could trust not to sell out the island, but that's life....

Let's not forget -- there is strong public support for participation in international organizations. The DPP did much to foster this while in office, some of it frankly manipulative, but some of it in response to the authentic yearning for international recognition alive in the public here. This public support put the KMT into a corner, a corner constructed for it partly by previous pro-Taiwan DPP policies. The DPP may be down, but not all of its successes can be reversed or rendered hollow.

One interesting thing about WHA observer status: Ma is playing it up, as Tsai predicted, as a great triumph of his "diplomatic truce" policy and of course, as evidence of China's "goodwill." The reality is that the announcement, which has been in the works for some time, was probably timed to cover up the fact that the CCP pwned the KMT at the recent cross-strait Nanjing talks. Taiwan News has the call -- every word is chewy good:

The talks began last Saturday with an unseemly embrace by SEF Chairman and KMT vice chairman Chiang Ping-kun of ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin, but the real atmosphere was actually set by the purposeful "coincidence" of the SEF-ARATS talks, held in Nanjing at Beijing's suggestion, of massive celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the former Republic of China capital by the Chinese Communist Party's People's Liberation Army on April 22, 1949.

Although downplayed by pro-KMT media, this transparent political humiliation was followed by a diplomatically cordial drubbing by the Beijing side.

For example, ARATS turned down various requests by the SEF side, such as Taipei's plea to increase the flights for Taiwan airlines in "golden routes" such as between Taipei and Shanghai and instead graciously expanded flights between Taipei and "hot spots" like Nanchang and Hefei instead and added northward routes that passed only through PRC air control zones to emphasize the "domestic" character of cross-strait air routes.

Moreover, in response to the KMT government's urgency to initiate talks on a cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), the Beijing side excluded the ECFA from discussion for the fourth Chiang-Chen "negotiations," evidently pending the offer of further concessions by the Taipei side.

Last but not least, the PRC side showed that it treated the SEF-ARATS talks as "normal negotiations" by leaking a draft but unsigned set of agreements to the official Xinhua News Agency and thus forcing the Taiwan negotiators to sign Beijing's version or threaten not to sign the agreements, a risk that the KMT side lacked the political courage to take.

As noted in a previous editorial, the underlying strategy of the CCP toward the KMT is reminiscent of the declaration made by the late Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin on April 5, 1927 in the midst of the Chinese "national revolution" that Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT "have to be utilized to the end, squeezed out like a lemon, and then flung away."

The other day Taiwan News similarly noted:

For example, the touted "breakthrough" agreements that opened direct cross-strait commercial marine and air links both denigrated Taiwan's status by treating such routes as "domestic" through the exclusion of foreign carriers and thus also harmed Taiwan commercial interests by excluding the vast majority of Taiwan-owned ships which fly foreign flags of convenience and by refusing to extend "fifth freedom" or onward passage rights for even Taiwan airlines.

....

For example, the failure to include onward flight rights in the new pact will reduce Taiwan into a "commercial air dependency" of the PRC, whose airports will gain control over the lion's share of lucrative "hub" onward connections. Given the widespread claim that Taiwan is rich in capital but short on "investment opportunities" (at least for myopic Taiwan investors), the influx of PRC state-owned companies, with the assistance of local proxies, will be able to use the maximum of 30 percent ownership to secure effective managerial control over Taiwan companies and their technology or knowhow in most economic fields, including telecommunications and news media, snare public works contracts and channels for patronage, and, with investments in hotels and travel companies, secure control over the bulk of renminbi spent in Taiwan by Chinese tourists.

The imminent financial services memorandum of understanding (MOU), which even KMT lawmakers have warned will result in "Money Out" of Taiwan, will offer the PRC's giant state banks channels to control over even more Taiwan capital and access to up-to-date inside financial information on Taiwan companies and any citizen who has a credit or finance card, access which will undoubtedly be utilized for political as well as commercial purposes.

Moreover, the obvious "quid pro quo" that Beijing will overtly or covertly demand for an agreement to "fight cross-strait crime" and any grudging assistance in sending "economic criminals" back to Taiwan will be "reciprocal" assistance in securing the "return," expulsion from Taiwan or control of political dissidents, perhaps painted as "terrorists," such as advocates of Tibetan independence or Chinese democracy.

Last but not least, the insistence by Ma and the KMT government that these agreements have nothing to do with "politics" or Taiwan's sovereignty means that no "firewalls" will be set in place to prevent PRC interests from expanding political influence in Taiwan in the pattern of the China Resources Group and the Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong.

Far from showing the strength of Ma's diplomacy, the recent WHA and Nanjing talks displayed the utter dependency of the KMT on the CCP. The agreements give China control over key cross-strait markets, ratified by the KMT because it desperately needs something, anything, to show its cross-strait policies are a success. Foreigners who trumpeted the advent of the KMT should take note at their exclusion -- these markets belong neither to them nor to Taiwan, but solely to China. Asian nations may give lip service to the free market religion, but at heart they are atheists. When state-backed Chinese firms come calling for Taiwan companies -- is a telecom deal imminent? -- foreign firms will be out in the cold too. But at least they will be able to fly conveniently from the Taiwan SAR directly to China on their way out of here.....

Much praise to Taiwan News for its great run of editorials lately. You can almost measure the political status of the island by the quality of Taiwan New's editorials -- as the threat to Taiwan rises, so does the asskicking quotient of their work. Good work, guys.

_______________________
[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

The US Speaks on Taiwan

There's been much written on potential Obama policies here in East Asia, and the international media today focused on two small indicators. The first was Treasury nominee Tim Geither, who claimed that China was manipulating the yuan, and said that is what the President believed. Does that mean a new hard line on China? Probably not, since we are now 7 or 8 presidents into our engagement with China, and most have made similar noises, yet the sacrifice of long-term US strategic and economic interests to short-term business interests and the failure to push for democracy in China has continued unabated. This "hard line" is strictly for media consumption. It will have no effect on actual policy.

More interesting from Taiwan's point of view was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement yesterday that the US will support observer status in the WHA for Taiwan.

The administration of US President Barack Obama will continue to support Taiwan’s efforts to gain more international space, including becoming an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA), US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a recent statement.

The statement was made in response to an inquiry from senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Johnny Isakson of Georgia on Clinton’s stance on Taiwan’s WHA bid if she was confirmed as Washington’s top diplomat.

Wow! Taiwan can observe an assembly! A breakthrough!

Secretary of State Clinton said that it was important that China give a little, and observer status in the WHA, totally meaningless, will nevertheless be a tiny tiny step that all involved can celebrate as a gigantic diplomatic success. "China has given Taiwan a little space!" This will also be trumpeted by the Ma Administration as a demonstration of the wisdom of its policy of selling Taiwan out to China. A key question of WHA participation of course will be what Taiwan is called and whether it is treated as part of China, or given some quasi-independent status.

The real indicator of Obama policy is here: Clinton echoed the Bush foreign policy line that China ought to give Taiwan a little space, and that the US supports Taiwan's entry into the WHA. The foreign policy community loves the words stability and continuity, and that is what we are going to see from the Obama administration here in East Asia.

Also on the US front, William Lowther reports from Washington that two more US-based Taiwan experts, Randall Schriver and Michael Yahuda from my alma mater GWU, have added their names to the open letter to Ma Ying-jeou on the erosion of justice here in Taiwan:

Two important Taiwan experts based in Washington have added their names to the open letter published in the Taipei Times earlier this week expressing concern about what they see as an erosion of justice in Taiwan.

The new signatories are former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Randall Schriver and George Washington University academic Michael Yahuda.

In the original letter a group of international academics and writers urged President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to order an independent inquiry into the way police squashed protests during the visit of Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin (陳雲林).

My thanks go out to both of them.

For those interested in the new Obama world, International Affairs Forum has their latest read on it. It's a collection of essays on major areas of the world, and major issues. The China essay is by Harvey Feldman, the former ambassador here and a longtime observer of East Asia. He notes:

Indeed, Mr. Bush can boast in foreign affairs that he has established a vastly improved relationship with China. But it will take major and continuing efforts in both Beijing and Washington to keep that relationship from deteriorating during 2009 as economic stress builds.

Yes, well, that "improved relationship" came at the expense of Taiwan. It's easy to sacrifice old friends to make new friends -- real success would have been improving relations with China while not sacrificing Taiwan.

[Taiwan]

Two From FAPA

Found a couple of interesting things from FAPA in my mailbox today. First, FAPA passed along its commentary on the recent letter from 14 Senators expressing their displeasure with the way China abuses Taiwan in the WHO.

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For Immediate Release August 2, 2008

CONTACT: Iris Ho (202)280-0166; irisho@fapa.org

SENATORS CRITICIZE SECRET CHINA-WHO M.O.U. AND BUSH ADMINISTRATION's LACK OF INITIATIVES IN BRINGING TAIWAN INTO THE WHO In a letter to President Bush dated August 1, 2008, five Senators led by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) express disappointment about the World Health Assembly's (WHA) decision last May to again exclude Taiwan from participating in the annual weeklong meegmail.com, hju.ting in Geneva and urge President Bush to seek inclusion of the 23 million people in the World Health Organization (WHO).

For the past twenty years, Senator Sherrod Brown has been a leading voice in both Houses of Congress for the inclusion of the 23 million people of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

The Senators write: "We regret that the Administration was not able to find ways to make Taiwan's voice heard in the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan's participation is vital if we are to effectively combat global health threats. We urge you to support and advocate for Taiwan's membership in the WHO."

They continue: "Very little progress has been made since Public Law No. 107-10 mandated the Secretary of State endorse "meaningful participation" for Taiwan in the WHA. We are concerned that the recent report by the State Department to Congress regarding Taiwan's participation in the WHO did not mention any administration initiatives in this regard."

In a thinly disguised jab at the secret Memorandum of Understanding that China concluded with the WHO in 2005 allowing China to determine which information from the WHO reaches Taiwan, if any, the Senators add: "In addition to supporting Taiwan's full membership, the United States must oppose any effort by China to interfere with the exchange of information between the WHO and Taiwan. The effectiveness of the WHO relies on the direct flow of information among health experts. Any efforts to curtail the free exchange of information unnecessarily threatens global health and the safety of every nation."

They conclude: "As global health threats emerge, the public health of our nation increasingly depends on cooperation and communication between every nation. It is in America's best interest to ensure that Taiwan is a full member of the WHO."

FAPA President Bob Yang, PhD states: "We agree with the Senators that the secret PRC-WHO M.O.U. needs to go. This arrangement is not only inconceivable, it is likely unlawful for a multilateral international organization to make bilateral arrangements with one of its members. The bottomline is that the United States and the rest of the world should express its outrage - not only about this M.O.U. arrangement but about China' continued playing of politics with the lives of the people of Taiwan."

2008年8月2日 美參議員抨擊世衛與中國秘密備忘錄，不滿布希政府欠缺協助台灣參與世衛實質行動 參議員布朗與4位同僚於7月31日 聯署致函布希總統，對於今年五月世衛大會再次拒絕台灣參與深表失望。他們並希望布希總統能夠協助台灣兩千三百萬人民被容納在世衛組織內。參議員布朗自十多年前還是眾議院成員時，就帶頭發起美國國會支持台灣參與世衛，是台灣爭取世衛參與最忠實的國際友人，每年在美國國會以引進議案，發表聲明或是致函等方式，十多年來毫不間斷，為台灣爭取世衛權益不餘遺力。 議員們在信裡表示：「我們很遺憾行政部門無法找到適當管道，讓世衛聽到台灣的聲音。如果我們要有效率地抵抗對全球衛生系統的威脅，台灣的參與是非常重要的。我們籲請您支持台灣世衛會員籍。」 「自從您簽署第107-10號法律，明文規定國務卿支持台灣有意義的參與世衛年度大會，此議題並沒有太大的進展。我們尤其擔心最近國務院呈報給國會的報告裡，並沒有提到任何行政部門在這方面的努力。」 由於中國在2005年與世衛秘書處秘密簽署一份備忘錄，允許中國自行單方決定哪些世衛資訊可以傳達台灣，議員們在信裡表達嚴重的關切。「除了支持台灣的完整會員籍外，美國必須反對任何中國意欲干涉世衛與台灣之間的資訊交流。世衛的效率建立在衛生專家們之間意見與資訊的自由交流。任何阻撓資訊自由交流的意圖，將威脅到全球衛生體系與各國的健康安全。」 議員們在信函結尾表示：「當全球健康體系受到威脅時，美國本身的公衛更須逐漸依賴世界各國之間的合作與溝通無阻。也因此，台灣成為世衛完整會員國一員是符合美國的利益之內。」 FAPA會長楊英育表示：「我們和這幾位參議員的看法一致，世衛與中國的秘密備忘錄必須立即中止。這份備忘錄不僅令人難以想像，一個國際組織私下與某一會員國簽署文件可說是違法的，並違背其他組織會員國的權益。最終底線是，美國與國際社會應該針對備忘錄，以及中國持續耍手段，將政治置台灣人民性命之上表達最嚴重的抗議。」


The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: We were again disappointed by the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) recent decision to continue its ban on Taiwan’s participation. We regret that the Administration was not able to find ways to make Taiwan’s voice heard in the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan’s participation is vital if we are to effectively combat global health threats. We urge you to support and advocate for Taiwan’s membership in the WHO.Very little progress has been made since Public Law No. 107-10 mandated the Secretary of State endorse “meaningful participation” for Taiwan in the WHA. We are concerned that the recent report by the State Department to Congress regarding Taiwan’s participation in the WHO did not mention any administration initiatives in this regard. Public health threats like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Extensively Resistant Tuberculosis, and the H5N1 virus are not constrained by national boundaries. Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHO creates a dangerous gap in the exchange of information among countries and puts global health security at risk. Taiwan’s expertise and leadership in combating these global threats must be fully utilized in the global effort to fight these diseases.We agree with recent statements of former Senator Bob Dole, highlighting that “The ca se for admitting Taiwan into the WHO could not be clearer,” as well as his assertion that that there must be a major diplomatic push to support Taiwan’s candidacy. In addition to supporting Taiwan’s participation, the United States must oppose any effort by China to interfere with the exchange of information between the WHO and Taiwan. The effectiveness of the WHO relies on the direct flow of information among health experts. Any efforts to curtail the free exchange of information unnecessarily threatens global health and the safety of every nation. As global health threats emerge, the public health of our nation increasingly depends on cooperation and communication between every nation. It is in America’s best interest to ensure that Taiwan is a member of the WHO. We look forward to hearing from you on this important issue. Sincerely, Sherrod Brown, Jon Tester, Johnny Isakson, David Vitter, Joseph Lieberman

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This was followed by a letter from 22 Taiwanese organizations to the IOC...

August 2, 2008

CONTACT: Iris Ho (202)280-0166; irisho@fapa.org

22 TAIWANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS URGE IOC PRESIDENT TO USE “TAIWAN” DURING BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES INSTEAD OF “CHINESE, TAIPEI”

In a letter dated July 31 to Mr. Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the heads of 22 Taiwanese American organizations urge Mr. Rogge to accord Taiwan during the Beijing held Olympic Games the name it deserves: "Taiwan."
Because of pressure from China, Taiwan has been forced for the past three decades to participate in international sports events under th e English tit le "Chinese Taipei," based on a protocol signed with the IOC. An agreement signed between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in Hong Kong in 1989 states that all sports teams or organizations representing Taiwan will follow IOC regulations when participating in sports events in China.

The letter was triggered by recent discussions in Beijing about whether the title of the Taiwanese Olympic team should be changed from "Chinese Taipei" to Zhongguo Taibei or "China Taipei. " This would lend further credence to China's irrational and unrealistic claims over Taiwan.

The organizations write: "We call on you to rethink the designation given to the nation of Taiwan by the IOC. We recommend that you adopt the straightforward and realist name "TAIWAN" in place of the outdated and denigrating moniker "Chinese Taipei."

They continue: "Recently China attempted to further degrade Taiwan by publicly calling it "China Taipei." This was in clear violation of the IOC decision of 1979. China's nefarious act flew in the face of its own bilateral agreement with Taiwan of 1989 regarding the correct Chinese language translation of "Chinese Taipei." Instead of being a gracious host of the 2008 summer Olympic Games, China is usurping its position to lay territorial claim over Taiwan."

They conclude: "To ensure that the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" encourages fair athletic competition rather than sinister Chinese maneuver to annex Taiwan, we urge you to accord the island na tion the name it deserves. That name is TAIWAN."

FAPA President Bob Yang, Ph.D. comments: "Chinese Taipei" and "China Taipei" are names concocted by communist China to further bully Taiwan in the international community into accepting that Taiwan is a part of China. It is incontestable reality though that Taiwan is not a part of China. It is therefore high time that the international community open its eyes and face and accept the reality that Taiwan is a sovereign independent country whose name is=2 0"Taiwan" - nothing more, nothing less."


2008年8月2日
台美人呼籲國際奧委會主席於北京奧運上稱呼台灣，而非中華台北


22個台美人社團領袖於今日連署致函國際奧委會主席羅格(Jacques Rogge)，呼籲他在北=E 4奧運典禮上以「台灣」之名稱呼台灣。

台美社團領袖們主要是有鑑於目前台灣國內就中華台北或是中國台北名稱的相關辯論，有感而發並進而發起這項聯署信函。

信中表示：「我們希望您能重新審視奧委會給=E 4台灣的=E 5稱。我們建議您採取直接與符合現實的做法，以=E 5灣之名稱呼台灣，=E 8不是過時與有損國格的中華台北。」

「近來中國一再稱呼台灣為中國台北，這是很明顯的違反國際奧委會1979年的決議。中國醜惡的行為與1989年簽署的雙方協定背道而馳。中國原本應是一個大方的奧運地主國，卻反而企圖藉名稱炒作，侵佔台灣B 8權。」

「為了確保奧運精神能夠鼓勵公平的選手競爭，而不是中國意欲併吞台灣，我們呼籲您給予這個島國她值得的名稱：台灣。」

FAPA會長楊英育表示：「中華台北與中國台北都是共產中國為了恐嚇台灣，脅迫國際社會承認台灣為中國的一部份所衍生出來的名稱。台灣很明顯地不是中國的一部份，國際社會應該認清接受台灣是一個主權獨立的國家的事實。」



July 31, 2008

Mr. Jacques Rogge, President
International Olympic Committee
Chateau de Vidy
Lausanne 1007
Switzerland

Dear Mr. Rogge:

We, the under signed representatives=2 0of Taiwanese-American and allied organizations, call on you to rethink the designation given to the nation of Taiwan by the International Olympic Committee (IOC.) We recommend that you adopt the straightforward and realist name "T AIWAN" in place of the outdated and denigrating moniker "Chinese Taipei."

Much has changed since that fateful decisi on of the IOC in 1979. During the ensuing thirty years, Taiwan has evolved from a land occupied by the Nationalist Chinese to a free and democratic country. In the process, the people of Taiwan have come to view themselves as distinct and separate from the citizens of China. In poll after poll, the vast majority of the island's inhabitants identify themselves as Taiwanese rather than Chinese. Equally important, Taiwan has satisfied all the qualifications of a state according to the Montevideo Convention. The three democratically elected Taiwan presidents-Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou, have all proclaimed that the sovereignty of Taiwan belong to the twenty-three million people of Taiwan. Given these facts, "Chinese Taipei" is hardly a fitting designation for Taiwan in international sports or other activities.

Recently China attempted to further degrade Taiwan by publicly calling it "China Taipei." This was in clear violation of the IOC decision of 1979. China's nefarious act flew in the face of its own bilateral agreement with Taiwan of 1989 regarding the correct Chinese language translation of "Chinese Taipei." Instead of being a gracio us host of=2 0the 2008 summer Olympic Games,
China is usurping its position to lay territorial claim over Taiwan.

To ensure that the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" encourages fair athletic competition ra ther than sinister Chinese maneuver to annex Taiwan, we urge you to accord the island nation the name it deserves. That name is TAIWAN.

Sincere yours,

Fred Baehner, President American Taiwan Society Jack Chen, President Austin Institute for Taiwan Studies Adam Huang, President Chhong-Bi Memorial Fund Kang-Hou Wang, President Dr. Kang-Lu Wang Memorial Foundation Terri Giles, Executive Director Formosa Foundation
Pearl Tang, President Formosan Association for Human Rights Bob I. Yang, President Formosan Association for Public Affairs Mary Helen Cruz, President Friends of Taiwan, Inc. Je-Chin Han, President North America Taiwanese Professors' Association Sue Lee, President North America Taiw anese Women's Association Jung Tsai, President North American Taiwanese Medical Association Ben Pin-Shuo Liu, President Professor Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation
Josephine Pan, President Taiwan Elite Alliance David Lai, President Taiwan Hakka Association for Public Affairs in North America Ma-chi Chen, President Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California Ron Shieh, President Taiwanese Association of America Tzuhui Chen, Spokesperson Taiwanese Collegian Fred H. Wang, President Taiwanese Hakka Association of America Peter N.P. Lo, President Taiwanese Hakka Association of the World Susan Chang, President World Federation of Taiwanese Associations C.K. Kuo, Coordinator World Taiwanese Congress James S. Chen, Chairman World United Formosans for Independence-U.S.A.

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[Taiwan]

WHO rally in Seattle

Rallying for WHO entry in Seattle on the 17th:

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For Immediate Release

June 16, 2008

Contacts:
Rebecca Lee 206-390-2839
CJ Wang 202-210-0436
Iris Ho 202-280-0166

TAIWANESE AMERICANS IN SEATTLE CALL UPON PACIFIC HEALTH SUMMIT TO SUPPORT TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

On June 17, from 10:00AM until noon, Taiwanese Americans will rally in front of the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle urging participants in the Pacific Health Summit to put the issue of Taiwan's inclusion in the World Health Organization (WHO) on the summit's agenda.

Earlier this month, Dr. Bob Yang, the President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA - www.fapa.org), a world-wide organization promoting freedom, democracy, human rights and international participation for the people of Taiwan, wrote a letter to each summit participant.

In the letter dated June 1 (See: below for full text), Dr. Yang wrote: "As world-renowned professionals in the fields of science and health, we trust that you are well aware of Taiwan's lack of access to the highest level of medical - and health information within the WHO network and that you are cognizant of Taiwan's generous contributions to the global campaigns on AIDS and other epidemic diseases."

The letter concludes: "We hope that you will bring up Taiwan's participation (or lack thereof) in the international health network during your meeting."

In Taiwan there is broad and strong public support for Taiwan's full membership in the WHO. In an opinion poll held in Taiwan last year, 94,9% of respondents expressed support for the nation's entry as a full member of the WHO under the name "Taiwan." (Source: Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan, April 2007).

China, due to its unfounded territorial claims on Taiwan, has for the past decade been the main obstacle for Taiwan to join international organizations in general and the WHO in particular. Adding insult to injury, in 2005 the WHO and China concluded a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding that established specific procedures for the handling of information between the WHO and Taiwan. These procedures require the WHO to consult with the PRC before sending any medical information or assistance to Taiwan and to allow the PRC to determine whether such information is passed on to the Taiwanese health authorities at all.

This is all the more ironic, for in its charter, the WHO sets forth the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people.

In the meantime, Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS) issued an Extension of Remarks (See: below) in the Congressional Record dated May 23 concluding: "Taiwan's membership in the WHO is not only in the interest of the people of Taiwan , it is in the interest of the international community and the WHO itself: as the WHO stands to benefit significantly from the financial and technological contributions that Taiwan has to offer. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of Taiwan's inclusion in the World Health Organization."

Taiwan has sought observer status at the annual meeting of the WHO every year since 1997.

[Taiwan]

China to Cut Missiles, Let us in WHO?

Ralph Jennings of Reuters is reporting that a Chinese Nationalist Party claimed that China had promised to stop its missile build up and then to reduce the number of missiles facing Taiwan:

Last week, when KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung visited senior leaders in Beijing, including President Hu Jintao, he asked about the missiles and was told China would stop deploying them ahead of a gradual reduction, a party spokeswoman and local media said.

"It was a friendly reaction," said spokeswoman Chen Shu-jung. China did not set a timeline or estimate how many missiles might be removed. "They haven't done anything yet to follow up."

A reduction of missiles would cool a potential Asia-Pacific flashpoint and please the United States, which wants good relations with both sides and favours the status quo.

Right. So the news, which I found on the WaPo blog of Beijing reporter John Pomfret, also states that:

In another sign of improved relations, Chinese officials also want Taiwan to offer a proposal on its bid to participate in the World Health Organisation, according to local news reports.

Last week Chinese President Hu Jintao mentioned giving diplomatically isolated Taiwan more international space.

Some reality here: even if China slashes the missiles by half, that will merely return us to the position of the year 2000, when China had 600 or 700 missiles facing us -- and they will be much better missiles. Despite overwrought claims, the missiles can hardly destroy the island, but they are an important symbol of China's ultimate intentions. More deadly by far are the hundreds of aircraft facing Taiwan, and the military modernization program. I'd like to see the military threat actually terminated, not mere cosmetic changes in the number of missiles (which can easily be increased at any time simply by returning removed missiles to their sites). In any case, the savings on missiles will simply be invested in some other military threat.

Of course, this comes from a KMT party source, so we need to wait for more reliable source to confirm.

As for WHO entry, it would seem incredible if it granted Taiwan any degree of autonomy. Remember the cowardly and illegal secret MOU that the WHO signed with the PRC about Taiwan (from here):

In the course of our research on these areas outside the global surveillance system we obtained a copy of a memorandum of understanding between the WHO and the PRC that set out the circumstances in which contact with Taiwan could take place. While it was an honest attempt by the WHO to make things work, the guidance was totally inappropriate for dealing with an emergency. Permission had to be sought from the Chinese contact point in Geneva 5 weeks in advance of making contact. The PRC contact point could decide which Taiwanese experts should be contacted. If Taiwanese experts were invited to technical meetings an expert of similar status should be included. Taiwanese citizens were not permitted to attend WHO meetings as members of NGO delegations. Most bizarrely, because writing “Taiwan” on an envelope (necessary if it was to reach its destination) would imply recognition of its independence in the view of the PRC, all paper communications had to be faxed.

That's our future in the WHO under the benevolence of China. And what name shall we join under?

[Taiwan]

Old WHO Stuff

A friend passed me these links to old but still insightful stuff on Taiwan's WHO entry. First up is a piece by Tkacik and Lee in National Review from 2004.....

The incident was not unnoticed in Taipei. Some Taiwanese legislators questioned why the boy was allowed to enter Taiwan when, earlier in the week, the government had asked Taiwanese businessmen who had been exposed to SARS in China not to return to Taiwan for treatment. In response, Taiwan's premier issued a statement explaining that the American government had officially requested assistance, and that the U.S. had arranged for the boy to be airlifted directly to Taiwan in a controlled environment, thus minimizing the danger of spreading the still-mysterious disease.

When SARS had first appeared, the US had airlifted a boy to Taipei and Taiwan had agreed to take him in. But when the time came for Uncle Sam to repay the favor, as Tkacik and Lee pointed out, the US didn't strongly support Taiwan into the WHO....

The second piece is from a WHO doc who describes in a must-read Dec 2006 blog entry how China's restrictions on Taiwan's WHO status work, every painful and stupid detail....

....Because the international surveillance system, co-ordinated by the WHO, is based on communications between WHO and the governments of its member states. Although the PRC government claims to be able to speak for Taiwan, it has no formal means of communicating with Taiwan and the WHO was unable to contact the Taiwanese authorities without getting permission from Beijing.

In the course of our research on these areas outside the global surveillance system we obtained a copy of a memorandum of understanding between the WHO and the PRC that set out the circumstances in which contact with Taiwan could take place. While it was an honest attempt by the WHO to make things work, the guidance was totally inappropriate for dealing with an emergency. Permission had to be sought from the Chinese contact point in Geneva 5 weeks in advance of making contact. The PRC contact point could decide which Taiwanese experts should be contacted. If Taiwanese experts were invited to technical meetings an expert of similar status should be included. Taiwanese citizens were not permitted to attend WHO meetings as members of NGO delegations. Most bizarrely, because writing “Taiwan” on an envelope (necessary if it was to reach its destination) would imply recognition of its independence in the view of the PRC, all paper communications had to be faxed.

This system was put to the test during the SARS outbreak, when e-mails from the Taiwanese authorities to the WHO went unanswered for weeks. This is a ludicrous state of affairs, not only because of the consequences in cases of emergency but also because it denies the very considerable Taiwanese expertise to the WHO.

Just another well-reasoned and restrained policy from The Force for Stability across the Strait. Apparently, in Taiwan, that Force shall be with us, always....

[Taiwan]

WHO Letter Drive

FAPA Europe is organizing a letter drive on the WHO issue. Details in email below.

++++++++++++++++

Dear Friends:

As you know, Taiwan is actively seeking to join the WHO (World Health Organization), and this May 19th to 24th, the annual World Health Assembly meeting will be held in Geneva....If you have friends or relatives who are also fluent in English, French, German, Greek or whichever European language (such as university students in Taiwan majoring in foreign languages, or friends and relatives living in N. America or Europe), please encourage them to write to their foreign affairs ministers. It is every citizen's responsibility to stand up for his country especially with the difficult situation Taiwan finds itself now, relying on government officials to do all diplomatic missions are just not enough. Please join us by starting your own WHO letter campaign today.

A sample letter:

Dear XX, Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Re: Disease Prevention without Borders

In the coming World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting, Taiwan will again seek World Health Organization (WHO) membership application as well as WHA observer status, such admittance is long overdue and we hope you will support Taiwan's efforts wholeheartedly.

Since the 2005 secret MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between China and the WHO, Taiwan has received only 16 of 231 public health notifications issued by the WHO. Taiwan was notified of only 40 of more than 1,000 WHO technical meetings and allowed to attend only nine of those. The MOU therefore indeed blocked Taiwan's meaningful participation in the WHO activities instead of its original intention.

Because China has a history of covering up the severity of epidemic spread and diseases within its own borders, if there is any delay in epidemic reporting or statistics misrepresentation, there will be dispute on which side causes the problem. The current WHO's procedures of informing Taiwan all health-related issues under the MOU guidelines are totally unacceptable. For example, last September in which Thailand exported contaminated baby corn, resulting in severe illness in some countries, but Taiwan's public health authorities were not informed by the WHO until much later than other countries. Therefore, Taiwan's representation in the WHO has to be completely independent from China's involvement, not to mention about the fact that China has never governed Taiwan for a single day since its foundation.

In the era of increasing globalization, the exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO poses a large danger for everyone, including citizens of your country. We cannot afford to leave Taiwan out of the loop in combating the threats posed by epidemics. Global responses to infectious diseases need to be speedy and well-coordinated by all nations, as epidemic spread is not confined to national boundaries.

The WHO Constitution enshrines the principle that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being. If your government is serious about promoting the fundamental rights of all people, then it must support Taiwan's integration into the global health community in a meaningful manner, independent from China's unethical demands, and your health officials should actively supervise the operation of the WHO so that the WHO, with its current Chinese Director General, is carrying out the mission of the WHO, not the political agenda of the Chinese government.

Another WHO campaign letter sample is found here but it's best to change it slightly,

Where to send your e-mails:

Norway
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Denmark
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Sweden
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2085
email to Carl Bildt, via the senior registry clerk

Finland
Alexander Stubb astubb@europarl.eu.int

Ireland
http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/home/index.aspx?id=8596

UK msu.correspondence@fco.gov.uk
The Rt Hon David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Greece
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

For other countries in EU, please check out the portal by clicking on each flag in the map http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/en/evropa.euprava, then click on the state's portal

+++++++++++++

I think the sample letter is pretty good, since it connects WHO policy to the secret memorandum of understanding between China and WHO that supposedly provides for Taiwan to participate as "Taiwan, China" but which in reality appears to prevent Taiwan from participating.

[Taiwan]

Non-support is Support for Beijing

It's WHO time again...and AFP reports on Taiwan's frustration with "friendly" nations...

Taiwan said it expected the United States to lead a push for observer status for the island at the World Health Organization (WHO) despite China's persistent opposition.

Joseph Wu, Taiwan's de facto envoy in Washington, said he expected "very clear support" from the United States, Japan and Canada for Taiwan's observer status with European nations, Australia and New Zealand pushing for "meaningful participation" in the organization.

But none of the countries support Taiwan's membership in WHO, he told reporters ahead of the May 19-24 annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the WHO, whose 192 member countries meet once a year to agree on policies and appoint a director-general.

In recent years Australia has been trying to put an end to Taiwan's dollar diplomacy, claiming it is corrupting governments in the region. This may well be true. But by putting pressure on Taiwan, the Aussies essentially cede the region to Beijing, since Beijing isn't going to stop. Apparently Aussie foreign policy analysts believe it is better to have Beijing's influence in their backyard than Taiwan's. Be careful what you wish for.....

But addressing "chequebook diplomacy" is treating the symptom. Taiwan engages in dollar diplomacy because it has no other choice if it wants some kind of recognition in the world. If Australia was really interested in putting an end to Taiwan's behavior in the South Seas, it could take positive steps to support Taiwan into the WHO -- treating the cause, not the symptom. Ditto for the US. If more nations gave Taiwan their support in reasonable causes like the WHO, Taiwan would have less incentive to engage in cowboy diplomacy.

Note that the WHO meeting is May 19-24. The new President, Ma Ying-jeou, is sworn in on the 20th. Will China display benevolence? Or will they remind Ma who is really in the saddle?

UPDATE: No sooner do I get this one out, then the student paper at St. Olaf's has a piece arguing for greater US support for our democracy and for Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

UPDATE II: As several people reminded me, Chen applied under the name "Taiwan" which means that China and Ma have a ready-made excuse -- can't let "Taiwan" in. So we'll have to wait until next year, again...

[Taiwan]

Rhode Island Assembly Strikes a Blow for Taiwan

Appropriately somehow, the smallest state has struck a blow in favor of Taiwan's entry into the WHO.

Walaska and then-Sen. Charles J. Fogarty were part of a New England delegation that traveled there at the invitation of Taiwan’s government. Since then, Walaska said, he’s submitted this resolution each year.

This year’s version cleared the Senate on March 22, and is scheduled for consideration in the House tomorrow.

......

Taiwan is “one of the few democracies in that part of the world,” Walaska said about his reasons for submitting the bill. “They’re a very much industrialized, very friendly nation.”

However true that may be, Walaska admitted he’s not sure how much clout a resolution from the Rhode Island General Assembly will have in shaping the United States' position on Taiwan, never mind the position of the entire World Health Organization.

Way to go, Rhode Island!

[Taiwan] [China] [WHO] [US]

A Fort In Tainan: Respite from the Failed WHO Bid

This cute little fellow hopped up on my finger for a better look at me.

Taiwan vows to fight on as WHO fails to even place a vote on Taiwan's membership on the agenda (The Guardian reports). I don't feel like kvetching about our incompetent advertizing or unprofessional and disconnected promotion effort. If there is one universal complaint among us DPP-watchers, it is that Taipei simply has no clue about how to deal with the West in its quest for independence and recognition. I must have a thing for lost causes run by incompetents -- I'm a Cleveland Browns fan too. Watching Taiwan trying to enter the WHO is like some nightmare replay of watching Sam Rutigliano call an end around to Mike Pruitt on 3rd and 15......maybe the DPP will draft Mike Phipps one of these days.....

So instead of an exasperated post on the WHO issue, here are some pictures of one of my favorite places on the island, Erkunshen fort in Tainan. It's not particularly amazing as far as forts go, but it reminds me of my childhood visits to forts in the US. And unlike so many historical sites in Taiwan, it is usually uncrowded, and there is no night market-style cacophony of vendors bottling up the street in front of it. It's just a pleasant, tree-filled site with reminders of the Qing and Japanese colonial periods in Taiwan.

My friend Michael Klein came down to Tainan today on business, so we took the afternoon off to enjoy a seafood lunch and the fort. Erkunshen fort was constructed in 1874 as the Qing tightened their hold over Taiwan. Prior to the 1860s Qing control over Taiwan had been loose -- the highlands were not under Qing sovereignty at all -- and several Powers had angled for the island. As outside powers started sniffing around, the Qing rulers began incorporating Taiwan more fully into the empire, sending expeditions into the mountains to subdue the aborigines, and constructing fortifications and other monuments to Qing control.

Erkunshen was proposed by a local official, designed by a Frenchman, and supplied with British cannon, 250cm Armstrongs. The original guns had long since disappeared when the 100th anniversary of its construction took place in 1974, so the city put in the replica cannon now visible today at that time. Just one cannon remains from the original complement of the fort. I'd sure like to know how it survived (my son and I went last year too).

A view of the moat.

The grounds are well-kept.

Michael inspects some of the brickwork. We had a lot of fun figuring where the Qing left off and the Japanese work began.

The only real weapon at the fort. The others are all replicas. The barrel is original, but the carriage is a modern reproduction.

Unlike the fake weapons, this one retains its rifling.

Wish I could get great pics of birds like Formosa Birding

There. Wasn't that better than contemplating yet another failed WHO bid?

[Taiwan] [Tainan] [WHO]