Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/05/04
By: Sophia Yeh and Bear Lee
Taipei, May 4 (CNA) The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday said it was very
President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文)
appreciative of the United States’ long-term support of Taiwan in various areas, including participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA).
Taiwan has been invited to attend the WHA as an observer every year since 2009, the year after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Kuomintang was inaugurated.
This year, however, Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to participate in the annual meeting of the World Health Organization’s decision-making body May 23-28 in Geneva and there have been concerns that Beijing may be trying to block the invitation as the DPP is about to take over the reins of power from the China-friendly KMT on May 20.
DPP spokesman Ruan Jhao-syong (阮昭雄), expressing thanks to the U.S. for its support over the years, was responding to remarks by Susan A. Thornton, U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in an interview with CNA in Washington on Monday (EDT).
Thornton said it has always been the U.S.’ policy to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in organizations that require statehood and to advocate for its membership in those organizations that do not require statehood. [FULL STO-RY]
