On 6 February, British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Co-Chair Lord Rogan and President Lord Steel of Aikwood wrote a joint letter to the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressing their deepest concern over the global health body’s Situation Reports on the 2019 novel coronavirus incorrectly listing Taiwan as part of China. The UK parliamentarians stressed that Taiwan is not under China’s jurisdiction, adding that Taiwan’s and China’s health care systems are administered by separate and independent health authorities. They also pointed out that the WHO’s decision to list Taiwan as part of China in its reports seriously hinders the timely exchange of information between proper authorities and wrongly suggests that Taiwan possesses “very high risk” of the 2019 novel coronavirus, while in fact the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Taiwan is lower than most countries affected. Lord Rogan and Lord Steel also stressed that with very limited cases, the situation in Taiwan is well-managed and controlled by its health authority. The APPG leaders also stated that the WHO’s exclusion of Taiwan and its health experts seriously contradicts the WHO’s motto of “health for all” and “leaving no one behind”, and renders the pursuit of a seamless global health security network impossible. The parliamentarians concluded by urging the WHO to immediately correct this error of treating Taiwan as part of China and called upon the organisation to allow Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and WHO meetings, mechanisms and activities.
The Formosa Club, a group of Europe-based lawmakers of which Lord Rogan is a member, also sent a letter on 11 February urging the WHO Director-General to rectify the incorrect listing of Taiwan under China’s jurisdiction and grant the country WHA observer status. The WHO’s erroneous designation of Taiwan as part of China “has contributed to significant misunderstandings around the world, as seen in the Italian government’s decision to ban all flights from Taiwan,” the group pointed out, adding that limiting access to WHO technical meetings in the midst of a global health emergency undermines the fundamental human rights of Taiwan’s 23 million people and puts everyone at risk. The Formosa Club’s letter follows other similar submissions to WHO Director General Ghebreyesus made by lawmakers from the UK, Italy, Latvia, Portugal and the European Parliament.
