Mr. President, we are once again debating a proposed supplementary agenda item entitled inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer.
I look forward to the day when the objective being pursued is achieved. The just aspirations of the Taiwanese people realized and purely health considerations take precedence at this supposedly World Health Assembly.
There is simply no principled basis. Why Taiwan should not be here. The arguments in favor of a low in Taiwan to participate in this Assembly as an observer are straight forward and clear cut. We all know that the PRC government does not exercise authority and control over Taiwan and cannot be reasonably said to represented here.
Taiwan was never defined to be a part of the PRC nor can it properly be considered so to be since the two places have separate autonomous independent and very different governments.
The participation of Taiwan at this Assembly as an observer is neither illegal as suggested by the delegate from the People’s Republic of China nor inconsistent with any resolution as we could see from the fact that Taiwan used to be here as an observer in previous times. The only reason why it is not here no is because of the fact that the government in Beijing does not like the current administration in Taipei.
Is this right. Should the legitimate health interests of the 23 million people in Taiwan be held to ransom to the preferences of a government?
Interestingly the fact that Taiwan was previously allowed to be here as an observer is an open acknowledgment by the PRC itself that it could not adequately represent the interests of Taiwan at this forum.
If Taiwan was really and truly a part of the PRC should it ever have been allowed to come to this Assembly as an observer can a part of my country Saint Vincent and the Grenadines be invited to sit here as an observer since Vincent and the Grenadines is of the view that the proposed invitation of Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly at least as an observer is not even incompatible with the oft-cited one China principle just like the participation of several nations from the Caribbean in this forum is consistent with our cherished and valued notion of one Caribbean one China, just like one the Caribbean can and should only be construed as a reference to a common history culture and heritage.
Mr President I ask that you incline your ear unto wisdom and reason apply thine heart unto understanding and allow the supplementary item entitled inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer to be placed on the agenda in the interests of the health and welfare of the 23 million people of the world located in Taiwan and universal health coverage.
Thank you.
