US bill to help Taiwan regain WHO status passes Congress, sent to Biden
- The legislation has already been approved by the Senate and needs the president’s signature to become law
- The House of Representatives voted unanimously to help the self-ruled island regain observer status at the health agency
The bill, voted for by 425 representatives, passed the Senate in August and Congressional aides said they expected Biden to sign the measure into law.
US discusses ‘opportunities’ for Taiwan to take part in WHO meeting
Taiwan is excluded from most global organisations, such as the WHO, because of the objections of China, which considers the island one of its provinces and not a separate country.
The measure directs the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for obtaining observer status at the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO. Taiwan was stripped of that status in 2017.
Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly urged support for the bill and praised Taiwan’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, noting it had only 37,000 confirmed cases despite a population of 23.5 million, and had shared expertise and donated protective equipment internationally.
“Taiwan’s leadership and contribution to global health security demonstrate why it ought to be part of the general conversation on public health,” he said.
The Taiwanese foreign ministry expressed its thanks for the US support and said it is continuing its efforts to have Taipei’s observer status restored in time to take part in the assembly this year.
Taiwan has raised its alert level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, wary that Beijing might make a similar move on the island, though it has reported no signs this is about to happen.
Similar concerns have fuelled efforts in the US to support Taiwan, such as increasing its participation in international organisations like the WHO.
