Asia News
Date: 03/20/2020

Success against the infection will improve the international image of the "rebel province". When the virus first appeared in Wuhan, Taiwan immediately imposed health controls and closed the borders with China. It put to good use the lessons it learnt from the SARS crisis. Citizens have been widely informed about how to stop the contagion. Doubts remain about its possible membership in the WHO.

Taipei (AsiaNews) – Taiwan did not wait for the World Health Organisation’s “instructions to shape its response” and dealt promptly with the coronavirus crisis, this according to Russell Hsiao, executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute, who spoke to AsiaNews. This is the secret of the success of the "rebel province" in fighting the epidemic. So far, only 135 cases of infection and two deaths have been reported in the country. This is a paradox considering Taiwan’s attempts to join the WHO have been systematically thwarted by mainland China. Hsiao’s interview follows.

Whilst the COVID-19 is killing thousands of people in China and around the world, Taiwan has been successful at containing the outbreak.

For Russell Hsiao, executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute, the secret of Taiwan’s success is the fact that “Taiwan did not have the luxury of waiting for the international health body’s instructions to shape its response – and this perhaps helped in a paradoxical way to encourage the government’s proactive approach.”    [FULL  STORY]