    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 25 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
    [Page 1070]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Statement on Signing Legislation To Address the Participation of Taiwan
    in the World Health Organization

    June 14, 2004

        Today, I have signed into law S. 2092, an Act concerning
    participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization. The United
    States fully supports the participation of Taiwan in the work of the
    World Health Organization, including observer status. The United States
    has expressed publicly its firm support for Taiwan's observer status and
    will continue to do so. Consistent with the President's constitutional
    authority to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, the Executive shall
    construe the Act to be consistent with the ``one China'' policy of the
    United States, which remains unchanged, and determine the measures best
    suited to advance the overall goal of Taiwan participation in the World
    Health Organization. The executive branch also shall construe the
    reporting requirement in section 1(c) of the Act in a manner consistent
    with the President's constitutional authority to withhold information
    the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations, the national
    security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the
    performance of the Executive's constitutional duties. As a matter of
    comity, the Secretary of State will continue to keep the Congress
    appropriately informed of the matters addressed by the reporting
    requirement.
                                                    George W. Bush
     The White House,
     June 14, 2004.

    Note: S. 2092, approved June 14, was assigned Public Law No. 108-235.