Q: It is learnt that the Solomon Islands and a few countries have requested to invite Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) of 2004 as an observer. What is your comment on that?

A: The practice of a few countries, including the Solomon Islands, to table a Taiwan-related motion to the World Health Assembly (WHA), lacks any legal foundation. The Chinese Government firmly opposes such a move.    

WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and only sovereign states are eligible for its membership. WHA is WHO's supreme authority. According to WHO's Constitution and WHA's Rules of Procedures, Taiwan, as a part of China, is not eligible to participate in WHO or to attend WHA as an observer. 

The Chinese central government has always been concerned over the well-being and the health of the Taiwan people, and has promoted actively the exchanges on health issues across the Straits to help Taiwan acquire the relevant information. With the permission of the Chinese central government, experts from WHO went to Taiwan several times to learn about the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other epidemics there, Taiwan experts have also participated in WHO special meetings on SARS and cancer. 

Facts show that Taiwan has a smooth channel to get health information. The Chinese central government had expressed welcome several times for Taiwan to dispatch their health experts to join the Chinese delegation to attend WHA. But it is a regret that the Taiwan authorities had no response. This demonstrates that the real purpose of the Taiwan authorities is to use the health issue to create "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan" within the WHO to achieve its evil attempt of "Taiwan Independence". Such an attempt will lead to nowhere.