Senate Resolution 59 - Introduced PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY BLACK 1 3 A Resolution supporting a proposal to invite the 1 4 Republic of China (Taiwan) to participate in the 1 5 upcoming meeting of the World Health Assembly as an 1 6 observer. 1 7 WHEREAS, the next World Health Assembly meeting is 1 8 scheduled to take place on May 16, 2005, in Geneva, 1 9 Switzerland; and 1 10 WHEREAS, the Republic of China, commonly known as 1 11 Taiwan, was a founding member of the World Health 1 12 Organization and participated for 24 years as a full 1 13 member contributing to the achievement of the 1 14 organization's objectives; and 1 15 WHEREAS, in 1972, in the wake of the admission of 1 16 the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, 1 17 Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization 1 18 was discontinued; and 1 19 WHEREAS, Taiwanese health officials and medical 1 20 professionals have been unable to participate in World 1 21 Health Organization forums and workshops regarding 1 22 technological advances in the diagnosis, monitoring, 1 23 and control of diseases since 1972, and have been 1 24 denied the right to maintain contact and coordination 1 25 with the World Health Organization in emergency 1 26 situations involving the containment and cure of 1 27 existing and newly emerging infectious diseases; and 1 28 WHEREAS, Taiwan's location at the juncture of 1 29 important maritime routes between northeast and 1 30 southeast Asia has resulted in extensive world trade 2 1 with Taiwan, a thriving Taiwanese tourism industry, 2 2 and a large foreign migrant worker population in 2 3 Taiwan; and 2 4 WHEREAS, Taiwan's absence from the World Health 2 5 Organization system has become a missing link in the 2 6 global framework of providing health care; and 2 7 WHEREAS, the granting of observer status to Taiwan 2 8 would not constitute a challenge to participation by 2 9 the People's Republic of China in the World Health 2 10 Organization and would demonstrate that the 2 11 organization is inclusive with regard to Taiwan's 23 2 12 million inhabitants; and 2 13 WHEREAS, as a democratically elected government, 2 14 the government of Taiwan has a duty and responsibility 2 15 to ensure that the people of Taiwan are represented by 2 16 an organization which establishes and oversees an 2 17 international framework for the control of disease and 2 18 the promotion of universal health; and 2 19 WHEREAS, Taiwan has made substantial progress in 2 20 the health field, has one of the highest life 2 21 expectancy rates in Asia, has maternal and infant 2 22 mortality rates comparable to those in western 2 23 countries, has eradicated infectious diseases such as 2 24 cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and has been the 2 25 first country in the region to eradicate polio and 2 26 provide children with hepatitis B vaccinations; and 2 27 WHEREAS, Taiwan has expressed a willingness in 2 28 recent years to provide financial and technological 2 29 assistance in international aid and health activities 2 30 supported by the World Health Organization; NOW 3 1 THEREFORE, 3 2 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 3 3 supports the granting of observer status to Taiwan 3 4 during the World Health Assembly to be held in May 3 5 2005; and 3 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That an official copy of 3 7 this Resolution be prepared and forwarded by the 3 8 Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United 3 9 States, the government of Taiwan, the Taipei economic 3 10 and cultural office, located in Chicago, Illinois, and 3 11 the governing authority of the World Health 3 12 Organization. 3 13 LSB 3688SS 81 3 14 rn:nh/sh/8 1