As an observer at the annual meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) decision-making body, Taiwan will enjoy the same rights and will have the same obligations as other WHA observers, he said at a news conference to clear up any doubts.

WHA observers are different from full members only in that they do not have voting rights.

"We will be participating under these conditions, and the name used will be 'Chinese Taipei,' which involves nothing that would downgrade our sovereign status," Ma explained.

He pointed out that Taiwan is known simply as "Chinese Taipei" in the World Trade Organization (WTO), although the country's membership name is "the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu."

Taiwan also used the name "Chinese Taipei" to join the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in 1991, Ma noted.

After 12 failed attempts since 1997 to participate in the WHA, Taiwan received a letter from the WHO Tuesday inviting it to take part as an observer in the next WHA meeting scheduled to open on May 18 in Geneva.

The invitation opens the way for Taiwan to participate for the first time in any meeting or activity of the United Nations specialized agencies since the country lost its U.N. membership to China in 1971.

The former ruling pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), however, has expressed fears Taiwan is being invited to attend the WHA as an non-governmental organization or an associate of China, rather than a sovereign state.

Ma explained that over the past year since his inauguration, his administration has been promoting a "modus vivendi" diplomatic strategy that favors a moderate and pragmatic approach, with the goal of ending the cutthroat struggle between Taiwan and China in the international arena.The Result

Such a strategy has resulted in improved cross-Taiwan Strait relations and enhanced mutual trust and understanding, which in turn has prompted Beijing to take a pragmatic and amicable view of Taiwan's bid to participate in the WHA, Ma said.

"This shows that harmonious and amiable cross-strait relations complement rather than conflict with Taiwan's goal of international participation," he said.

Expressing disapproval of the aggressive strategy adopted by the former DPP administration to highlight the status of Taiwan as an independent country, the president stressed that the purpose of Taiwan's participation in the WHA is to better protect the health of the people in Taiwan, which "should not involve any unnecessary confrontation to highlight some specific ideology."

At a time when the world is facing a possible swine flu outbreak, Taiwan's WHA participation will help the government establish closer contact with the WHO and improve its preparations for emergencies, he said.

Asked about the government's strategy to push for Taiwan's participation in the United Nations this year, Ma said his administration will continue to follow a pragmatic and flexible approach in promoting Taiwan's participation in international organizations, but will not set any "impractical objectives."

Thanks

In a departure from the then DPP administration's high-profile push in 2007 for U.N. membership under the name "Taiwan," Ma's government adopted a "modus vivendi" diplomatic strategy in 2008, which included seeking "meaningful participation" in the activities of the U.N.'s specialized agencies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said that the government is grateful to the countries that have responded positively to Taiwan's acceptance into this year's WHA in May.

"We welcome the responses by those countries that have said they will be pleased to see Taiwan attend this year's WHA as an observer, and we thank them," said MOFA spokesman Henry Chen.

Noting that the U.N., the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore have all responded positively to the WHA arrangement for Taiwan, Chen said the foreign ministry's representative offices in those countries will also thank the individual governments.