Taiwan WHO rejection follows medical relief campaign
TAIPEI, May 1 (Reuters) Taiwan's latest attempt to assert independence in the face of mammoth opposition from China collapsed yet again when the World Health Organisation refused to hear its request to become a member.
Taiwan is used to having its bids for international recognition rebuffed. But the blow hurt more than usual this time as Taipei has recently expanded its overseas medical aid programme -- including by helping the Solomon Islands recover from an earthquake -- to bolster its case at a WHO meeting in May.
The WHO secretary's office rejected the island government's application on Friday, agreeing with China that self-ruled Taiwan cannot apply because it's not a sovereign nation.
''(The WHO) knows Taiwan is giving back to the international community even though we're not in the WHO,'' said Richard Fang, a senior official at Taiwan International Health Action.
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian condemned the secretary of the 193-member international medical relief body for rejecting the island's request to discuss its membership application.
Due to disputes left over from a civil war in the 1940s, China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory rather than as an independent country. It has threatened to invade Taiwan if it officially declares independence.
On that basis, China has persuaded the WHO, which requires statehood as a condition for membership, to keep out Taiwan despite its repeated applications to rejoin the body since it was pushed out in 1972.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION International rejection is no stranger to Taiwan.
The United Nations has barred it from joining, and other international organisations require Taiwan to use China-related names in line with demands from Beijing.
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the team representing the island of 23 million people will be known as Chinese Taipei.
Upset by being linked to China on Beijing's proposed Olympic torch relay route, Taiwan rejected an offer for a representative to carry the flame. The island premier is talking about boycotting the 2008 Olympics if China keeps ''belittling'' it.
Taiwan is trying to make its presence noticed on the stage of international aid.
Taiwan has organised 12 relief missions over the past year, including one to the Philippines in 2006 to help mudslide victims and three this year to Kenya to assist in treating a fatal outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Three West African nations have also received medical relief from Taiwan.
When the Solomon Islands was hit by an earthquake and tsunami last month, Taiwan sent one of the first medical teams to reach the South Pacific nation and assisted exhausted local doctors.
''Of course there's a connection to the WHO,'' Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman David Wang said.
''We use these specific (aid) activities to prove Taiwan has the intent and the ability to make a contribution. Also, a lot of help goes to countries that are not diplomatic allies.'' Taiwan, which has been rejected for the past 10 years for WHO observer status because of pressure from Beijing, should have expected the latest rejection, analysts said.
''I
think
they
will
continue
to
try,''
said
Andrew
Yang,
secretary
general
of
the
China
Council
for
Advanced
Policy
Studies
in
Taipei.
''The
government
has
decided
it
wants
to
push
forward
to
be
recognised
by
the
international
community.''
REUTERS
PBB
BST0742