[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 10, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E924-E925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SUPPORT TAIWAN'S INCLUSION INTO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2005

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
Taiwan's application for observer status as a ``Health Entity'' for 
next week's annual World Health Organization (WHO) Assembly in Geneva, 
Switzerland, and to respectfully encourage other international 
organizations to more actively engage Taiwan in their activities.
  Even though Taiwan was a founding member of WHO, every May, for the 
past eight years, when the World Health Assembly meets to consider the 
acceptance of new members to the WHO, it systematically denies Taiwan 
access to the global health organization. Even with last year's support 
from the United States and Japan, Taiwan--among the leaders in Asia in 
important health indicators, such as life expectancy and infant 
mortality--was once again rejected.
  Regardless of the fact that the World Health Assembly has routinely 
allowed observers to participate in the activities of the Organization, 
including the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Holy See, and even 
the Palestine Liberation Organization; regardless of the fact that 
Taiwan's population of almost 23,000,000 people is greater than that of 
\3/4\ of the member states already in the World Health Organization; 
regardless of the fact that Taiwan has repeatedly expressed a 
willingness to assist financially and technically in international aid 
and health activities supported by the WHO; and, regardless of the fact 
that direct and unobstructed participation in international health 
cooperation forums and programs is beneficial for all parts of the 
world, especially today with the great potential for the cross-border 
spread of various infectious diseases such as the human 
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria, our European 
Union colleagues continue to shortsightedly side with China and exclude 
Taiwan.
  Unfortunately, this political and diplomatic dance has had a real 
world cost in terms of Taiwanese lives lost during outbreaks of life 
threatening diseases, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 
(SARS) and the enterovirus epidemic in 1998. The SARS and avian 
influenza outbreaks should remind all of us that disease knows no 
boundaries and reinforce the importance of allowing all people access 
to the World Health Organization. As the pace of globalization 
quickens, the spread of infectious disease will only accelerate.
  Not only will the Taiwanese benefit from membership in the WHO 
through engagement with the international community in the common 
pursuit of raising the quality of public health and providing for the 
welfare of its citizens, but so will their neighbors throughout

[[Page E925]]

the Asia Pacific region, indeed the world, through interoperability, 
pooled resources, and the sharing of technical expertise. I firmly 
believe that Taiwan's inclusion in the WHO will help ensure global 
health safety and our own national security by allowing all WHO 
countries to more comprehensively and quickly coordinate global efforts 
to combat deadly outbreaks of diseases and any future epidemics.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Taiwan deserve the same level of public 
health as the citizens of every nation on earth, and I stand in support 
of their continued desire and commitment to be included in the WHO. I 
urge all of my colleagues to join me in encouraging the United States 
delegation in Geneva to stand in strong support of Taiwan's application 
for inclusion into the World Health Organization.

                          ____________________