[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 23, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E80-E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DIRECTING SECRETARY OF STATE TO DEVELOP STRATEGY TO REGAIN OBSERVER 
             STATUS FOR TAIWAN IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TED S. YOHO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 22, 2019

  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 353, my bill that 
directs the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer 
status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization.
  I would first like to thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul 
for working with my team to bring this great legislation to the floor. 
From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly, the World 
Health Organization's annual summit, under the status of an observer. 
However, following the election of Taiwan's current President Tsai Ing-
wen, the People's Republic of China has stepped up its campaign to 
marginalize Taiwan's participation in the international community. In 
2017 and 2018, due to increased political pressure from the People's 
Republic of China, Taiwan did not receive an invitation to the World 
Health Assembly.
  Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Assembly, serves no purpose 
other than to placate Beijing's insecurity. The World Health 
Organization exists to address shared transnational health challenges, 
and Taiwan has proven time and again that it is a model contributor to 
world health. Since 1996, Taiwan has invested over $6 billion in 
international medical and humanitarian aid efforts impacting over 80 
countries.
  The United States and the U.S. Congress have long supported Taiwan's 
participation in international organizations, and this legislation will 
continue this important work. My bill will help ensure that the U.S. 
diplomatic strategy to advocate for Taiwan's presence at the World 
Health Assembly adapts to Beijing's increased efforts to box out 
Taiwan. A similar

[[Page E81]]

bill, which I introduced in the 115th Congress, passed the House with 
unanimous support.
  Taiwan is a benevolent actor on the international stage, and it 
deserves to keep the place it has earned. The next World Health 
Assembly will take place in May of this year. Passage of my bill will 
be a timely opportunity for the House to recommit to longstanding U.S. 
policy, and take a firm stand in the face of Beijing's increasingly 
oppressive tactics. I urge my colleagues to support Taiwan's 
participation in the World Health Organization as an observer by 
supporting this legislation.

                          ____________________