Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Thursday, May 12, 2011 10:12 pm TWN, The China Post news staff

Sponsors
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.

'Chinese Taipei' at WHA a goodwill gesture from China: mainland official

The China Post news staff -- A spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) under China's State Council said yesterday that the World Health Organization's (WHO) reference to Taiwan as a province of China in an “internal document” was a unilateral action by the WHO, and that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can sit down to talk about how to safeguard the peaceful development of bilateral ties.

Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the TAO, made the remarks at a routine press conference held yesterday when asked by reporters whether mainland China will grant more goodwill to Taiwan in the wake of the WHO's undesirable reference to Taiwan.

“Along with the improving cross-strait ties in recent years, the Secretariat of the WHO has invited Chinese Taipei's Department of Health to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer, and the invitation has been welcomed by Taiwan. This is somehow a kind of goodwill released by mainland China to Taiwan,” Fan said.

The spokeswoman called for Taiwan to have a calm and objective look at the matter, saying that “in this regard, the common stances and views of international communities and organizations are well known to the world.”

She continued to say that as long as both sides of the Taiwan Strait keep working together to promote peaceful development of cross-strait ties, there are many things that can be settled through bilateral negotiations.

The Presidential Office didn't respond directly to Fan's remarks yesterday, but spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-chi said that President Ma Ying-jeou will never soften his determination to safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of China and will continue to uphold Taiwan's dignity, safety and the rights of its people.

Just one day earlier at a press conference, President Ma lashed out at the WHO's reference to Taiwan as a province of China and vowed to protest the issue to mainland China.

At the conference, Ma called the WHO a “double dealer,” criticizing it for its attempt to denigrate the status of the Republic of China's government, apparently under Chinese pressure. He has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a protest with the WHO.

Directing his indignation against mainland China, Ma noted at the conference that if Taiwan remained isolated in the international community of nations, cross-strait relations could not steadily improve.

Meanwhile, chairwoman Lai Hsing-yuan of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council, yesterday issued an article on her Facebook page saying that the WHO referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China” in 2005, when former President Chen Shui-bian was in power, but has changed since the title to “Chinese Taipei” in accordance with the common practice used by most international organizations since President Ma took office in May 2008. In addition, WHO officials have been making direct contact with Taiwan's Center of Disease Control since January 2009, instead of through mainland China.

“All these achievements result from the current government's efforts in seeking breakthroughs in international organizations,” Lai said.

Also yesterday, former Vice President Annette Lu called for the ruling and opposition parties to jointly protest Beijing's practice of pressuring the WHO to dwarf Taiwan as a province of China.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

Comments

May 11, 2011 skylarjones@

It's becoming more and more difficult not to call the Republic of China a de facto SAR of the People's Republic of China instead of a de facto sovereign state.

May 13, 2011 doyouhavediscountsforthis@

bah, humbug. Today’s politicians can care less about a vision in an establishment with fixed ideals and social order.
China’s desperately clinging on to its authority over 56 tribes to in order to avoid sharing the fate of the disassembled mess that became of the Soviet Union.
In the contrary, Taiwan plays along with China's political mambo to expand its horizons both economically and politically.
The only real problem here is the difficulty of recanting decades worth of propaganda.
Both sides teach Chinese history in their compulsory education and both sides politically deny the legitimacy of the other (although it is clear which side the world pays attention to).
Despite what the masses may believe, the Chinese communist party plays the chauvinist suitor while Taiwanese politicians reciprocate with a "hard to get" maiden act.
Either way, they are both trying to appeal to their masses with misguided messages.

May 13, 2011 kyousuke@

What do you mean, SAR of People's Republic? Stop spouting nonsense. Does Hong Kong SAR have a president like Taiwan does?

May 13, 2011 land@

@skylarjones kindly stop abbreviating your words, it is impolite especially when it is only you alone who understands the meaning of the word -- what is SAR?

May 13, 2011 alvinchen3333@

China plays game with Taiwan and tries to cover Taiwan to belong to her administration for future, so China uses skill to ask WHO to write Taiwan as a province of China in official documents. In another way, China also releases to say "Chinese Taipei" to Taiwan government regarding the official title of WHO for Taiwan. This is so called playing "Both Parties" to win all.

Taiwan has no better choice but "Chinese Taipei" in joining any international affair with official color. Because a small Taiwan can in No Way represent a Big China (Whole China) again since 1971, Taiwan was replaced by P.R.C. to leave United Nations.

May 15, 2011 joesun369@

Everybody know horses have long face except Ma.

June 6, 2011 norbertkurt@

I have read the history of Taiwan, (Formosa) dating back to 1622, I have been myself in Taiwan 10 times and will continue until I seize to exist, I consider Taiwan and its people the Aboriginies belonging to the order of occupation of the country, the Chinese are its guest and not belonging to anyone else. I love the people of Taiwan, so I married one, and she Taiwan Indian, China has no claim or interest the country to my account. Little by little China wants more and more. While I live and breath I will offer my life for the country if need be. So China beware I will be there every year I fought 2 years in a war with no end but I will put my might into my country Taiwan.