    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    117 STAT. 769]]

    Public Law 108-28
    108th Congress

    An Act

    Concerning participation of Taiwan in the World Health
    Organization. [NOTE: May 29, 2003 -  [S. 243]]

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
    United States of America in Congress assembled,
    SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD
    HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO).

    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
    (1) Good health is important to every citizen of the world
    and access to the highest standards of health information and
    services is necessary to improve the public health.
    (2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international
    health cooperation forums and programs is beneficial for all
    parts of the world, especially with today's greater potential
    for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such
    as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and
    malaria.
    (3) Taiwan's population of 23,500,000 people is greater than
    that of three-fourths of the member states already in the World
    Health Organization (WHO).
    (4) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are
    substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels
    in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those
    of western countries, the eradication of such infectious
    diseases as cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and the first to
    eradicate polio and provide children with hepatitis B
    vaccinations.
    (5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and
    Prevention and its Taiwan counterpart agencies have enjoyed
    close collaboration on a wide range of public health issues.
    (6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to
    assist financially and technically in international aid and
    health activities supported by the WHO.
    (7) On January 14, 2001, an earthquake, registering between
    7.6 and 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck El Salvador. In
    response, the Taiwanese Government sent 2 rescue teams,
    consisting of 90 individuals specializing in firefighting,
    medicine, and civil engineering. The Taiwanese Ministry of
    Foreign Affairs also donated $200,000 in relief aid to the
    Salvadoran Government.

    [[Page 770]

    117 STAT. 770

    (8) The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to
    participate in the activities of the organization, including the
    Palestine Liberation Organization in 1974, the Order of Malta,
    and the Holy See in the early 1950s.
    (9) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review,
    declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in
    appropriate international organizations.
    (10) Public Law 106-137 required the Secretary of State to
    submit a report to the Congress on efforts by the executive
    branch to support Taiwan's participation in international
    organizations, in particular the WHO.
    (11) In light of all benefits that Taiwan's participation in
    the WHO can bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, but
    also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its 23,500,000 people
    should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the WHO.
    (12) On May 11, 2001, President Bush stated in his letter to
    Senator Murkowski that the United States ``should find
    opportunities for Taiwan's voice to be heard in international
    organizations in order to make a contribution, even if
    membership is not possible'', further stating that his
    Administration ``has focused on finding concrete ways for Taiwan
    to benefit and contribute to the WHO''.
    (13) In his speech made in the World Medical Association on
    May 14, 2002, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy
    Thompson announced ``America's work for a healthy world cuts
    across political lines. That is why my government supports
    Taiwan's efforts to gain observership status at the World Health
    Assembly. We know this is a controversial issue, but we do not
    shrink from taking a public stance on it. The people of Taiwan
    deserve the same level of public health as citizens of every
    nation on earth, and we support them in their efforts to achieve
    it''.
    (14) The Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, in
    response to an appeal from the United Nations and the United
    States for resources to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, donated
    $1,000,000 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
    Malaria in December 2002.

    (b) Plan.--The Secretary of State is authorized--
    (1) to initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain
    observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the
    World Health Assembly in May 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland; and
    (2) to instruct the United States delegation to Geneva to
    implement that plan.

    [[Page 771]]

    117 STAT. 771

    (c) Report.--Not [NOTE: Deadline.] later than 14 days after the
    date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a
    report to Congress in unclassified form describing the action taken
    under subsection (b).

    Approved May 29, 2003.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 243 (H.R. 441):
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
    May 1, considered and passed Senate.
    May 14, considered and passed House.
    WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 39 (2003):
    May 29, Presidential statement.