EU Support For Taiwan WHO Bid Grows

Over 120 members of the European parliament last week indicated their support for Taiwan’s bid to take part in the World Health Organization (WHO) decision making procedure according to the country’s Central News Agency.

In a letter dated last Wednesday, 67 members of the European Union parliament from across a range of political parties signed just one letter addressed to the vice-president of the EU Commission, and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Jospep Borrell.

One portion of the letter posted on Twitter by the former foreign minister of Poland, Anna Fotyga (shown below) stated “The WHO treatment of Taiwan as part of China has caused problems for Taiwan,” referencing the ongoing ban at all levels on Taiwanese experts attending World Health Assembly (WHA) and WHO technical meetings.

The letter continues: “In these difficult times, the substantial cooperation in areas such as medical supplies, research and development of vaccines between Taiwan, the EU and its Member States would be beneficial in order to curb the further spread of the pandemic and better prepare for any future outbreak”

An earlier letter signed by 60 members of German’s Bundestag was addressed directly to the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who has come under fire from around the globe recently for the WHO stance under his leadership, and more recently for his own comments regarding online attacks supposedly aimed at him by Taiwanese netizens.

Taiwan remains one of the nations least affected by the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, with many supporters of Taiwanese membership in the WHO holding up the nation’s modus operandi in dealing with he outbreak as one that should be studied by others.