China will not hesitate to use missiles against Taiwan to bring the island on its knees: Taiwan ambassador

New Delhi. Parallel to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen’s concern raised on Friday about Chinese infiltration bid on the island, Taiwan’s ambassador to India said in New Delhi that Chinese military threat loomed large over Taiwan as thousands of Chinese missiles continued to face Taiwan, and China would not hesitate to use its military power against it.

Tsai said on Friday in Taipei that China had conducted military drills involving warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around the island last month.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) representative and Taiwan Ambassador to India Tien Chung-Kwang, who was interacting with media in New Delhi on Friday to flag the issue Taiwan not being invited to participate in the World Health Assembly this year again because of the Chinese pressure, accused China of using all the necessary force trying to blockade and suffocate Taiwan

“They (China) is trying to bring us to our knees to make us bag, or otherwise they are going to use all the powers in the international arena to blockade us from participating. They are going to take away diplomatic allies from us. Now we only have 17 countries with which we have diplomatic relations. Besides, the military threat is always there, over thousands of missiles are facing Taiwan, and if necessary they will not hesitate to use missiles against Taiwan. It has happened thrice in the past,” the ambassador said.

“The China president Xi Jinping in this year’s message to Taiwan compatriots said China would not denounce using force against Taiwan. Under this kind of situation, Taiwan is vulnerable but it is very determined. we are going to side with the democratic camp, and we still respect the human right of freedom. We urge like-minded countries, especially India, the biggest democratic country. If India cannot stand up who will stand up facing China,” Tien Chung-Kwang said.

India and Taiwan also don’t have diplomatic relations

Tien Chung-Kwang also accused China of nose pouring into other countries affairs.

“China has gone too far and is trying to stick their nose to every single country’s business. Not even Taiwan, even India too. It has issues with India like border, trade issue, nuclear supplier and India fought for years to get terrorist Masood Azhar declared a terrorist,” he said.

While talking about the WHA issue, the Taiwan ambassador said in his address, “We all know that diseases know no border and health rights are universal.  As the Constitution of the World Health Organization states, the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

Also, the United Nation General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/1 declares, “as we embark on this great collective journey toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we pledge that no one will be left behind, he said.

“All over the world, border and immigration policies are becoming less restrictive. This has increased the possibility of cross-border disease transmission. A concerted, global effort is the only way to effectively ensure the health and welfare of people around the world. Taiwan is located at a strategic node in the Indo-Pacific. It has a particularly high need for disease prevention, as people and goods are constantly entering and leaving Taiwan,” Tien Chung-Kwang said.

The ambassador said, “The Taipei FIR borders four other FIRs such as Fukuoka, Manila, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. It is located off mainland China’s eastern seaboard and between Japan and the Philippines. In 2017, the Taipei FIR provided services to over 1.66 million controlled flights, and to nearly 66 million travelers entering, leaving, or transiting through Taiwan, of whom about 83 percent, or nearly 55 million, were international and cross-strait passengers. In the year 2018, Taiwan records 11 million foreign visitors and provides service to 223,000 transiting flights.”

Therefore, the ambassador said Taiwan was an indispensable part of global efforts to combat infectious diseases.  Once a recipient of foreign aid, Taiwan is giving back to the world by providing help where it is needed most. Through its outreach, Taiwan is making indispensable contributions to the global health network.

“Take the Taiwan International Healthcare Training Center founded in 2002 by our Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) as an example, it offers foreign professionals training in clinical medicine, acupuncture, traditional medicine and health care management, with about 1,500 health professionals from 65 countries and territories completing courses by the end of last year,” he said.

Following is the rest of the portion of Tien Chung-Kwang’s address in New Delhi:

Equally impactful is the Global Medical Instruments Support and Service Program. Launched by the MOHW in 2005, it has integrated efforts by hospitals across Taiwan to provide usable equipment to developing nations. More than 5,400 items have been shipped to medical institutions in 33 countries and territories through the project.

Moreover, in recent years, a major focus of Taiwan’s international outreach is deepening cooperation with countries in South and Southeast Asia. Since 2018, the MOHW has commissioned six Taiwan medical centers to extend health care cooperation and provide instructional courses for health care personnel from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, respectively. In 2018, a total of 336 medical professionals underwent training in Taiwan through the One Country, One Center initiative, which was expanded earlier this year to include Brunei and Myanmar.

When the Ebola virus reared its ugly head once again in 2018, Taiwan quickly announced a donation of US$1 million to WHO to help in the fight against the disease. This donation was, unfortunately, forced to be suspended due to politically driven interference. However, through this, Taiwan has shown an unwavering determination to participate in international medical cooperation.

Taiwan has transformed itself from a recipient of foreign aid to a provider of international humanitarian assistance. It has actively helped many nations in need. Taiwan’s experience can serve as a reference to many other nations. Bringing Taiwan into the international disease prevention system will benefit many nations, and help WHO be more effective in its disease prevention efforts.

What Taiwan can help?  Firstly, Taiwan has had great success in achieving universal health coverage. Since the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI) in 1995, Taiwan’s people have had access to necessary treatments, as have foreign nationals studying, working, or otherwise legally residing in Taiwan. The principle of leaving no one behind has reigned paramount, and, through vaccinations, cancer screening, and preventative care where risk factors are present, Taiwan has improved its primary health care system.

Secondly, Taiwan faces a high risk of natural disasters and has a wealth of experience and ability in responding to such disasters. It has much to offer WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme through the provision of emergency medical assistance. Taiwan continues to improve its nationwide disease prevention capabilities in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR). It is the eighth nation to have undergone a Joint External Evaluation (JEE), which has helped improve the global infectious disease prevention network.

Thirdly, Taiwan has trained thousands of medical professionals from around the world. It has become an important international training center in such areas as electrical cardioversion technologies, advanced reconstructive surgery, and reconstructive microsurgery. With the conviction that teaching people to fish is more effective than giving them fish, Taiwan hopes to assist more nations with improving their medical capacity and sustainable development, so as to effectively realize UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

Taiwan had been invited to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO) from the year 2009 to 2016.  We firmly believe that facilitating Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA will advance the WHO’s top priority of achieving universal health coverage.  Unfortunately, Taiwan has not been invited to attend the WHA for three consecutive years since 2017, obviously out of China’s political interference.

Such barbarian conduct blatantly ignores the health and well-being of the 23 million people of Taiwan and will only harden hearts and evoke public resentment.  More seriously, it will not only create a gap in the disease prevention network but also sacrifice people’s health around the world.

The Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019, just unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representative on May 7, 2019, stated the sense of Congress that the People’s Republic of China’s attempts to dictate the terms of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, has, in many cases, resulted in Taiwan’s exclusion from such organizations even when statehood is not a requirement, and that such exclusion is detrimental to global health and negatively impacts the safety and security of citizens globally.

We are grateful that Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Murphy, UK Minister of State Mark Field, UK Junior Minister of the Health Department Jackie Doyle-Price, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and the EU spokesperson publicly express their support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA in various occasions.  In addition, leaders of the Taiwan friendship groups from the European Parliament, United Kingdom, France, and Germany sent a joint letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling on the WHO to invite Taiwan to attend the WHA.

We also highly appreciate that the World Medical Association, the European Medical Association and the Standing Committee of European Doctors also urge the WHO to extend an invitation to Taiwan for attending this year’s WHA.

We will continue our efforts to ensure the health and wellbeing of the 23 million people of Taiwan as well as of the whole human race. Taiwan will not give in to political sabotage and will continue to seek international affirmation of its efforts. This will help ensure the complete early realization of WHO’s vision of health as a human right.

I firmly believe that “Virtue is not left to stand alone, he who practices it will have neighbors”《德不孤必有鄰》 and “A just cause attracts much support.”《得道者多助》As a conclusion, I sincerely urge all like-minded countries and people to extend their staunch support toward Taiwan’s legitimate endeavor.