Taipei, May 21 (CNA) Russian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk, the youngest pianist to win three major international piano competitions, will perform a second solo recital in Taiwan Wednesday, the concert organizer said Monday.
Gavrylyuk by the age of 23 had won top prizes in three of the most prestigious international competitions: the Arthur Rubinstein 11th Piano Master Competition in 2005; the 4th Hammamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan in 2000; and the 3rd Horowitz International Piano Competition in Ukraine in 1999.
Born in Ukraine in 1984, Gavrylyuk began playing at the age of seven and decided at the age of nine that he wanted to be a professional, for which he received support from his folk musician parents.
"Taiwan has been a special place for me. And I will be glad to feel the passion of Taiwanese audience again after six years, " said Gavrylyuk, who arrived in Taipei Monday.
Responding to a media question about his playing style, Gavrylyuk said his job "is always try to remind the audience about the true beauty of life and always be sincere to the stage" because "deep inside, people are very similar."
"Most of all, I try not to stand in the way of music, " he said.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
FRANK HSIEH FAVORED IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: SCHOLARS
Taipei, May 19 (CNA) Frank Hsieh, who is almost certain to be named the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after a landslide primary victory May 6, is the favorite to win the 2008 presidential election, scholars said in a forum Saturday.
"If you ask me today, I think Frank Hsieh has the edge over main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Ma Ying-jeou, " Byron Weng, a professor at National Chi Nan University, said in a seasonal forum titled "Presidential Election and Domestic Politcs, " which was organized by the Taiwan Thinktank to provide foreign representatives with timely interpretations of Taiwan's politics.
Hsieh has been tested during the DPP primary by his own party members and the media, Weng said. While Hsieh delivered many things to Kaohsiung while serving as mayor of the southern port city, Ma's political career has paled in comparison, according to Weng.
"Hsieh is already immune. He is ready, having rehearsed all the tough questions, " said Michael Hsiao, executive director of Academia Sinica's Center for Asia Pacific Area Studies. As for foreign policy, Hsiao said "everyone knows Hsieh's stance, and most international observers have the impression that he is not a radical politician, which is a big plus for him."
"Ma should be prepared to answer the hard questions that he hasn't answered yet, " Hsiao continued, referring to Ma's position on cross-strait relations and his "ultimate unification" rhetoric.
"The fact that the DPP was able to immediately unite after the party's presidential primary also counts for something in Hsieh's favor," Weng said.
On the upcoming legislative and presidential elections, Hsiao told foreign representatives that he believes that if the "pan-blue alliance" wins the legislative elections later this year, Hsieh has a better chance of winning the 2008 presidential election because of the "compensation effect."
"But if the DPP pulls off a victory in the legislative elections, it will win again in the presidential election because of the momentum," Hsiao said.
However, it's also possible that the candidates of both sides are replaced because of the verdicts in court cases in which they are involved, said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica.
"We can't rule out the possibility of 'two-in-one elections, ' meaning the holding of the legislative and presidential elections simultaneously, which more and more people are advocating, " said forum moderator Lo Chih-cheng, chairman of Soochow University's Department of Political Science.
More than 15 foreign representatives in Taiwan attended the two-hour forum.
"If you ask me today, I think Frank Hsieh has the edge over main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Ma Ying-jeou, " Byron Weng, a professor at National Chi Nan University, said in a seasonal forum titled "Presidential Election and Domestic Politcs, " which was organized by the Taiwan Thinktank to provide foreign representatives with timely interpretations of Taiwan's politics.
Hsieh has been tested during the DPP primary by his own party members and the media, Weng said. While Hsieh delivered many things to Kaohsiung while serving as mayor of the southern port city, Ma's political career has paled in comparison, according to Weng.
"Hsieh is already immune. He is ready, having rehearsed all the tough questions, " said Michael Hsiao, executive director of Academia Sinica's Center for Asia Pacific Area Studies. As for foreign policy, Hsiao said "everyone knows Hsieh's stance, and most international observers have the impression that he is not a radical politician, which is a big plus for him."
"Ma should be prepared to answer the hard questions that he hasn't answered yet, " Hsiao continued, referring to Ma's position on cross-strait relations and his "ultimate unification" rhetoric.
"The fact that the DPP was able to immediately unite after the party's presidential primary also counts for something in Hsieh's favor," Weng said.
On the upcoming legislative and presidential elections, Hsiao told foreign representatives that he believes that if the "pan-blue alliance" wins the legislative elections later this year, Hsieh has a better chance of winning the 2008 presidential election because of the "compensation effect."
"But if the DPP pulls off a victory in the legislative elections, it will win again in the presidential election because of the momentum," Hsiao said.
However, it's also possible that the candidates of both sides are replaced because of the verdicts in court cases in which they are involved, said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica.
"We can't rule out the possibility of 'two-in-one elections, ' meaning the holding of the legislative and presidential elections simultaneously, which more and more people are advocating, " said forum moderator Lo Chih-cheng, chairman of Soochow University's Department of Political Science.
More than 15 foreign representatives in Taiwan attended the two-hour forum.
NATIONAL IDENTITY ISSUE NOT VAGUE IN 2008 PRESIDENTIAL RACE: ACADEMIA
Taipei, May 19 (CNA) There is no denying that Taiwan has a national identity problem, and the problem is not a vague or tiring issue in the 2008 presidential election, academia said in a forum Saturday.
"The national identity problem is not vague. It's real in everyday life. It's involved in almost every facet of our national policy -- economy, trade, investment, and national defense, to name a few, " said Michael Hsiao, executive director of Academia Sinica's Center for Asia Pacific Area Studies.
Hsiao presented his argument while answering a question by a foreign representative in a seasonal forum titled "Presidential Election and Domestic Politics, " which was organized by Taiwan Thinktank to provide foreign representatives with timely interpretations of Taiwan's politics.
The representative, one of more than a dozen foreign representatives who attended the forum, wondered whether people of Taiwan want to see a more concrete and practical platform from the presidential candidates and parties because the issue has been brought up time and time again in past elections.
"The problem of identity is not identity alone, it includes everything, " Hsiao concluded.
"Sometimes, it may look like national identity is the only issue in Taiwan's election campaign. It is, however, the unique situation Taiwan has been in, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica who once served as vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
The reason why national identity has been the primary focus in Taiwan's elections is partly due to the fact that the campaign agenda was set up by politicians and the media, and not the voters, Huang said.
"Whenever China said something or the Taiwan government did something, it hit the front pages of newspapers the next day, " he added.
Voters look for "information shortcuts" to compare candidates' agendas with their own, while political parties and candidates try to mobilize voters with simple and clear "symbols, " making national identity "one of the most efficient catalysts in any election," Huang said.
More than 15 foreign representatives in Taiwan attended the two-hour forum.
"The national identity problem is not vague. It's real in everyday life. It's involved in almost every facet of our national policy -- economy, trade, investment, and national defense, to name a few, " said Michael Hsiao, executive director of Academia Sinica's Center for Asia Pacific Area Studies.
Hsiao presented his argument while answering a question by a foreign representative in a seasonal forum titled "Presidential Election and Domestic Politics, " which was organized by Taiwan Thinktank to provide foreign representatives with timely interpretations of Taiwan's politics.
The representative, one of more than a dozen foreign representatives who attended the forum, wondered whether people of Taiwan want to see a more concrete and practical platform from the presidential candidates and parties because the issue has been brought up time and time again in past elections.
"The problem of identity is not identity alone, it includes everything, " Hsiao concluded.
"Sometimes, it may look like national identity is the only issue in Taiwan's election campaign. It is, however, the unique situation Taiwan has been in, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica who once served as vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
The reason why national identity has been the primary focus in Taiwan's elections is partly due to the fact that the campaign agenda was set up by politicians and the media, and not the voters, Huang said.
"Whenever China said something or the Taiwan government did something, it hit the front pages of newspapers the next day, " he added.
Voters look for "information shortcuts" to compare candidates' agendas with their own, while political parties and candidates try to mobilize voters with simple and clear "symbols, " making national identity "one of the most efficient catalysts in any election," Huang said.
More than 15 foreign representatives in Taiwan attended the two-hour forum.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
TAIWAN SHOULD KEEP PUSHING FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE: EX-U.S. OFFICIAL
Taipei, May 18 (CNA) The United States understands China wants to squeeze Taiwan out of the international arena, but Taiwan should keep pushing for its own international space, an ex-U.S. official visiting Taiwan said Friday while commenting on Taiwan's failed World Health Organization (WHO) membership bid.
China has been trying to crowd out Taiwan internationally and "friends of Taiwan should actively make sure that won't happen again, " said Richard Williamson, who has served as ambassador and U.S. representative to te United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Williamson, who was a White House assistant during the Reagan administration, also said he does not expect the new U.S. government in 2008 to change its policy on cross-Taiwan Strait issues because "Taiwan and the U.S. share the same enduring values."
Two principles that the U.S. will never change are that the U.S. insists on maintaining the status quo and stability of the Taiwan Strait and that the people of Taiwan should be able to freely determine their own future, said Williamson, who is in the middle of his sixth trip to Taiwan, his first since 1997.
Answering a media question on whether the U.S. could show more support to Taiwan on entering international organizations such as the WHO, Williamson claimed that the war on terror, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan have all "sucked the energy out" of the U.S. and the other superpowers.
However, "in the long term, the U.S. can't lose sight of an important friend, its important commitment and Taiwan Strait being a potential dangerous spot, " Williamson said.
The U.S. will "respect the strategy" of the Taiwan government if it submits the same proposal of a U.N. bid under the name of "Taiwan" next September, Williamson said, adding that Taiwan should keep talking to its friends and allies between now and September.
Taiwan needs to reach a consensus between the various parties because "any chance of success requires broad domestic support, " he added.
China has been trying to crowd out Taiwan internationally and "friends of Taiwan should actively make sure that won't happen again, " said Richard Williamson, who has served as ambassador and U.S. representative to te United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Williamson, who was a White House assistant during the Reagan administration, also said he does not expect the new U.S. government in 2008 to change its policy on cross-Taiwan Strait issues because "Taiwan and the U.S. share the same enduring values."
Two principles that the U.S. will never change are that the U.S. insists on maintaining the status quo and stability of the Taiwan Strait and that the people of Taiwan should be able to freely determine their own future, said Williamson, who is in the middle of his sixth trip to Taiwan, his first since 1997.
Answering a media question on whether the U.S. could show more support to Taiwan on entering international organizations such as the WHO, Williamson claimed that the war on terror, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan have all "sucked the energy out" of the U.S. and the other superpowers.
However, "in the long term, the U.S. can't lose sight of an important friend, its important commitment and Taiwan Strait being a potential dangerous spot, " Williamson said.
The U.S. will "respect the strategy" of the Taiwan government if it submits the same proposal of a U.N. bid under the name of "Taiwan" next September, Williamson said, adding that Taiwan should keep talking to its friends and allies between now and September.
Taiwan needs to reach a consensus between the various parties because "any chance of success requires broad domestic support, " he added.
FIRST DOUBLE AMPUTEE MOUNT EVEREST CLIMBER VISITS TAIWAN
Taipei, May 18 (CNA) The first double amputee to scale Mount Everest arrived in Taiwan for a two-day visit Friday to send out his message to the handicapped that everyone is able to accomplish beyond one's limits if he is determined to do so.
Mark Inglis, a 47-year-old New Zealander who lost both legs 25 years ago, reached the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, May 15 last year. His Everest expedition was filmed for the Discovery series "Everest: Beyond the Limit."
"I can't describe how fantastic the experience was. I was very lucky, " Inglis said in the premiere ceremony of the six-part series, which documented the 40-day expedition.
"I came to realize that the only thing I lost was two legs, but I had an opportunity to live a different life, " said Inglis, who is now a motivational speaker.
Inglis was stuck in an ice cave in an intense blizzard for 14 days on Mount Cook in New Zealand in 1982 and lost both legs below the knee to frostbite. He went back to conquer the mountain, reaching the summit in 2002, and later started planning the Everest climb by training for the whole of 2005.
Inglis also met a group of Taiwanese athletes who will participate in the 2009 Deaflympics, to be hosted by Taipei City, and encouraged them to never give up. Inglis was a torch carrier in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and won a silver medal for cycling in the Sydney Paralympics.
Inglis is scheduled to attend a seminar at the Taipei International Convention Center Saturday. An interactive exhibition on his Everest expedition will be displayed in the plaza of the Eslite Bookstore Xinyi Branch from May 18-June 15.
Mark Inglis, a 47-year-old New Zealander who lost both legs 25 years ago, reached the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, May 15 last year. His Everest expedition was filmed for the Discovery series "Everest: Beyond the Limit."
"I can't describe how fantastic the experience was. I was very lucky, " Inglis said in the premiere ceremony of the six-part series, which documented the 40-day expedition.
"I came to realize that the only thing I lost was two legs, but I had an opportunity to live a different life, " said Inglis, who is now a motivational speaker.
Inglis was stuck in an ice cave in an intense blizzard for 14 days on Mount Cook in New Zealand in 1982 and lost both legs below the knee to frostbite. He went back to conquer the mountain, reaching the summit in 2002, and later started planning the Everest climb by training for the whole of 2005.
Inglis also met a group of Taiwanese athletes who will participate in the 2009 Deaflympics, to be hosted by Taipei City, and encouraged them to never give up. Inglis was a torch carrier in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and won a silver medal for cycling in the Sydney Paralympics.
Inglis is scheduled to attend a seminar at the Taipei International Convention Center Saturday. An interactive exhibition on his Everest expedition will be displayed in the plaza of the Eslite Bookstore Xinyi Branch from May 18-June 15.
Friday, May 18, 2007
U.S. ENGINEER'S CONTRIBUTION TO POST-WAR TAIWAN DOCUMENTED IN FILM
Taipei, May 17 (CNA) A documentary in tribute of a U.S. engineer who made great contributions to the reconstruction and economic development of Taiwan during the early post-war years premiered in Taipei Thursday, bringing back memories of the 1950s.
The 60-minute documentary titled "Valery S. de Beausset and U.S. Aid to Taiwan, " is dedicated to de Beausset, who worked for J.G. White Engineering Corp. and served as both distributor and advisor for U.S. aid from 1950 - 1957 and was instrumental in drawing up a list of priorities for granting American aid.
J.G. White Corp. was the U.S. contractor that oversaw U.S. aid, which amounted to approximately US$ 1.48 billion from 1951-1965 with an annual average of US$ 100 million, under the authorization of the U.S. Economic Cooperation Administration (EAC) and Taiwan's Council on U.S. Aid (CUSA).
During his stay in Taiwan, De Beausset, who is now 92 and lives in Michigan, helped with the reconstruction of Taiwan's transportation system and the restoration of the productivity of Taiwan's national industries. He was directly involved with projects to expand electrical power dams, the reconstruction of the rail network, the constructions of harbors and airports, and gave advice on the development of more than 30 industrial enterprises.
"Taiwan once again plays an important part of our lives at this old age, " Lee-Tai de Beausset, one of two daughters representing the de Beausset family in the premier, read from a letter written by her 85-year-old mother Connie de Beausset, who also described her nine years in Taiwan as "the most exciting and rewarding of our early married life."
"Val's method of working was to stay behind the scenes. He never tried to take credit for any work he did with the very capable and dedicated Chinese engineers, businessmen and government officials. But there's no denying his gratification and deep pleasure to have this recognition and appreciation for his work, " she wrote.
The documentary is the first film made by the National Taiwan University Library (NTUL), which started contacting the de Beaussets in 2004 about the film. In 2006, the de Beaussets donated their collections of photographs and color films, which were all taken in the 1950's, as well as personal letters and news clippings, to the NTUL for the making of the documentary.
The film serves as both a tribute to the contributions of de Beausset and as a reminder to the people of Taiwan that "we owe what we have today to an American engineer who should have been recognized long ago, " said NTUL Director Hsiang Jieh.
The 60-minute documentary titled "Valery S. de Beausset and U.S. Aid to Taiwan, " is dedicated to de Beausset, who worked for J.G. White Engineering Corp. and served as both distributor and advisor for U.S. aid from 1950 - 1957 and was instrumental in drawing up a list of priorities for granting American aid.
J.G. White Corp. was the U.S. contractor that oversaw U.S. aid, which amounted to approximately US$ 1.48 billion from 1951-1965 with an annual average of US$ 100 million, under the authorization of the U.S. Economic Cooperation Administration (EAC) and Taiwan's Council on U.S. Aid (CUSA).
During his stay in Taiwan, De Beausset, who is now 92 and lives in Michigan, helped with the reconstruction of Taiwan's transportation system and the restoration of the productivity of Taiwan's national industries. He was directly involved with projects to expand electrical power dams, the reconstruction of the rail network, the constructions of harbors and airports, and gave advice on the development of more than 30 industrial enterprises.
"Taiwan once again plays an important part of our lives at this old age, " Lee-Tai de Beausset, one of two daughters representing the de Beausset family in the premier, read from a letter written by her 85-year-old mother Connie de Beausset, who also described her nine years in Taiwan as "the most exciting and rewarding of our early married life."
"Val's method of working was to stay behind the scenes. He never tried to take credit for any work he did with the very capable and dedicated Chinese engineers, businessmen and government officials. But there's no denying his gratification and deep pleasure to have this recognition and appreciation for his work, " she wrote.
The documentary is the first film made by the National Taiwan University Library (NTUL), which started contacting the de Beaussets in 2004 about the film. In 2006, the de Beaussets donated their collections of photographs and color films, which were all taken in the 1950's, as well as personal letters and news clippings, to the NTUL for the making of the documentary.
The film serves as both a tribute to the contributions of de Beausset and as a reminder to the people of Taiwan that "we owe what we have today to an American engineer who should have been recognized long ago, " said NTUL Director Hsiang Jieh.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
TAIWAN'S NEW WHO BID PROPOSAL A MORALE BOOSTER: CIVIC GROUPS
Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Representatives of civic groups who attended the World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva said Wednesday that it boosted their morale to hold their heads high calling for support from the international community on Taiwan's new bid proposal to enter the World Health Organization (WHO) as a full member.
"This has been my 11th trip to Geneva for the WHA but it felt like the first time because we arrived with the name of Taiwan on our chests, " said Wu Shu-min, president of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan (FMPAT), which has been one of the most active civic groups in supporting Taiwan's WHO bid.
Taiwan has failed time and again in its WHO bid -- whether as a "health entity" or bidding for WHA observer status -- because of China's oppression, said Tu Shiing-jer, vice president of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) who also once served as health minister.
More than 100 overseas Taiwanese, most of them doctors and physicians from Europe and North America, volunteered to promote Taiwan's bid in Geneva, Wu said.
"If you were there, you could feel the difference. The morale was high. The passion and love for Taiwan was extraordinary. It was something I have never felt before during my past 10 trips to Geneva, " Wu said.
"And it was all because we finally shouted out to the world about who we are and what we want. This is a difficult road, but we'll keep coming back, " Wu said, claiming that constitutional re-engineering and referendum will make Taiwan's entry into the WHO easier.
"This has been my 11th trip to Geneva for the WHA but it felt like the first time because we arrived with the name of Taiwan on our chests, " said Wu Shu-min, president of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan (FMPAT), which has been one of the most active civic groups in supporting Taiwan's WHO bid.
Taiwan has failed time and again in its WHO bid -- whether as a "health entity" or bidding for WHA observer status -- because of China's oppression, said Tu Shiing-jer, vice president of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) who also once served as health minister.
More than 100 overseas Taiwanese, most of them doctors and physicians from Europe and North America, volunteered to promote Taiwan's bid in Geneva, Wu said.
"If you were there, you could feel the difference. The morale was high. The passion and love for Taiwan was extraordinary. It was something I have never felt before during my past 10 trips to Geneva, " Wu said.
"And it was all because we finally shouted out to the world about who we are and what we want. This is a difficult road, but we'll keep coming back, " Wu said, claiming that constitutional re-engineering and referendum will make Taiwan's entry into the WHO easier.
FRUITFUL WHA DISCUSSION FOR TAIWAN'S WHO BID: OFFICIALS
Taipei, May 16 (CNA) With a clear and firm objective and the help of its international allies, Taiwan's failed bid for full membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) received a thorough and fruitful three-hour discussion at the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting, government officials said Wednesday upon return to Taiwan from Geneva.
"We had a very clear strategy this year and that allowed us to focus on the points of order. We were able to focus more on the meeting instead of promotion outside the assembly hall, " said Deputy Foreign Minister Yang Tzu-pao.
As the representative of Belize, one of Taiwan's 25 diplomatic allies, submitted a proposal for voting on whether Taiwan's membership bid should be listed on the agenda, the issue received thorough discussion of three hours, which was just what Taiwan had hoped for, according to Yang.
The representative from Nauru, another of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, also spoke up for Taiwan when several representatives complained about the lengthy discussion, saying that "time is precious for everyone, but the lives of the 23 million Taiwanese people are even more important," Yang said.
"This year we focused on doing the right thing -- bidding for the membership under the name of 'Taiwan' -- and forgot about China temporarily, " said Deputy Health Minister Chen Tzay-jinn.
Chen added that Taiwan opposes any illegal procedure in the handling of Taiwan's WHO bid issue within the WHA and WHO.
"Taiwan has received overwhelming support in its bid for a WHO membership from international media such as the Economist, Reuters, the Washington Post and Japan's Sankei Shimbun. A total of 956 articles to date from various news outlets all over the world have supported Taiwan's bid, compared to 715 from last year, " said Government Information Office acting Minister William Yih.
"Taiwan lost its bid once again, but the biggest losers this year are China and Margaret Chan, the WHO director-general, because they did not dare to speak up for their improper handling of the case, " according to Chang Fu-mei, chairwoman of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC).
As for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) China signed with the WHO Secretariat in 2005, Yang said the signing of MOUs is allowed under WHO regulations. However, a MOU should not involve a third party and infringe upon anyone's interests and rights, he added.
"We had a very clear strategy this year and that allowed us to focus on the points of order. We were able to focus more on the meeting instead of promotion outside the assembly hall, " said Deputy Foreign Minister Yang Tzu-pao.
As the representative of Belize, one of Taiwan's 25 diplomatic allies, submitted a proposal for voting on whether Taiwan's membership bid should be listed on the agenda, the issue received thorough discussion of three hours, which was just what Taiwan had hoped for, according to Yang.
The representative from Nauru, another of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, also spoke up for Taiwan when several representatives complained about the lengthy discussion, saying that "time is precious for everyone, but the lives of the 23 million Taiwanese people are even more important," Yang said.
"This year we focused on doing the right thing -- bidding for the membership under the name of 'Taiwan' -- and forgot about China temporarily, " said Deputy Health Minister Chen Tzay-jinn.
Chen added that Taiwan opposes any illegal procedure in the handling of Taiwan's WHO bid issue within the WHA and WHO.
"Taiwan has received overwhelming support in its bid for a WHO membership from international media such as the Economist, Reuters, the Washington Post and Japan's Sankei Shimbun. A total of 956 articles to date from various news outlets all over the world have supported Taiwan's bid, compared to 715 from last year, " said Government Information Office acting Minister William Yih.
"Taiwan lost its bid once again, but the biggest losers this year are China and Margaret Chan, the WHO director-general, because they did not dare to speak up for their improper handling of the case, " according to Chang Fu-mei, chairwoman of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC).
As for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) China signed with the WHO Secretariat in 2005, Yang said the signing of MOUs is allowed under WHO regulations. However, a MOU should not involve a third party and infringe upon anyone's interests and rights, he added.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
ACADEMIA SLAMS WHO, PONDERS TAIWAN'S NEXT MOVE
Taipei, May 15 (CNA) Scholars accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of being blinded by politics, reviewed Taiwan's bidding strategy to enter the WHO as a full member and entertained the thought of giving Taiwan an image of a "bad boy" in a forum Tuesday.
Lamenting Taiwan's setback in its WHO membership bid, scholars who attended the forum organized by Taiwan Thinktank to review Taiwan's failed membership bid strategy said the WHO has become a political organization instead of an organization "providing leadership on global health matters."
"The WHO yielded to China's political pressure in ignoring Taiwan's bid once again and put global health in jeopardy by leaving Taiwan out of the global health system, " said Lo Chi-cheng, a professor at Soochow University.
"Taiwan is not poor enough, not sick enough and not bad enough. And Taiwan has no courage to violate the WHO regulations, " said Chiu Ya-wen, a researcher at the National Health Research Institute, who half-jokingly described Taiwan's current situation as "Three Nots and one No."
"As the old saying goes, 'noisy children get the candy.' Maybe we should be like North Korea, creating trouble and being a bad boy so the international community will raise its eyebrows, " said political commentator Paul Lin, tongue in cheek.
Taiwan should ask for its international allies to try to invalidate a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed by the WHO Secretariat and China in 2005, under which Taiwan's medical experts have to file applications five weeks in advance for attending WHO technical meetings and have them approved by China's health department, and Taiwan medical personnel must attend WHO activities in private capacities and should be identified as "coming from Taiwan, China, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of European and American Studies (IEAS).
Taiwan should also ask its allies to condemn the WHO secretariat for not complying with the rules of procedure by rejecting Taiwan's membership bid, Huang said.
Taiwan should also ask for an explanation from the WHO on the MOU and the improper handling of Taiwan's bid by the Secretariat, Lo Chi-cheng added.
In the future, Taiwan should develop a new scheme on how to accommodate three proposals -- the bid for WHA observer status, the bid for full WHO membership, and "meaningful participation" in WHO activities -- on the table, said Lin Cheng-yi, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's IEAS.
"The strategy for Taiwan's United Nations bid in September should also be included in the consideration, " Lin said.
Lamenting Taiwan's setback in its WHO membership bid, scholars who attended the forum organized by Taiwan Thinktank to review Taiwan's failed membership bid strategy said the WHO has become a political organization instead of an organization "providing leadership on global health matters."
"The WHO yielded to China's political pressure in ignoring Taiwan's bid once again and put global health in jeopardy by leaving Taiwan out of the global health system, " said Lo Chi-cheng, a professor at Soochow University.
"Taiwan is not poor enough, not sick enough and not bad enough. And Taiwan has no courage to violate the WHO regulations, " said Chiu Ya-wen, a researcher at the National Health Research Institute, who half-jokingly described Taiwan's current situation as "Three Nots and one No."
"As the old saying goes, 'noisy children get the candy.' Maybe we should be like North Korea, creating trouble and being a bad boy so the international community will raise its eyebrows, " said political commentator Paul Lin, tongue in cheek.
Taiwan should ask for its international allies to try to invalidate a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed by the WHO Secretariat and China in 2005, under which Taiwan's medical experts have to file applications five weeks in advance for attending WHO technical meetings and have them approved by China's health department, and Taiwan medical personnel must attend WHO activities in private capacities and should be identified as "coming from Taiwan, China, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of European and American Studies (IEAS).
Taiwan should also ask its allies to condemn the WHO secretariat for not complying with the rules of procedure by rejecting Taiwan's membership bid, Huang said.
Taiwan should also ask for an explanation from the WHO on the MOU and the improper handling of Taiwan's bid by the Secretariat, Lo Chi-cheng added.
In the future, Taiwan should develop a new scheme on how to accommodate three proposals -- the bid for WHA observer status, the bid for full WHO membership, and "meaningful participation" in WHO activities -- on the table, said Lin Cheng-yi, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's IEAS.
"The strategy for Taiwan's United Nations bid in September should also be included in the consideration, " Lin said.
TAIWAN'S NEW WHO BIDDING STRATEGY NOT A FAILURE: SCHOLARS
Taipei, May 15 (CNA) Although Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization (WHO) as a full member was rebuffed again, the new strategy it presented this year has "not been a failure" as it took the issue to a new "moral high ground" instead of political disputes between Taiwan and China, according to scholars attending a forum Tuesday.
Taiwan's new strategy to bid for full WHO membership instead of trying for observer status in the World Health Assembly (WHA) "challenged the WHO on its founding principle of 'health for all' and made the international community question whether the organization has yielded to political reality, thus taking the people of Taiwan to the moral high ground, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of European and American Studies (IEAS).
The new proposal also shows the world that Taiwan has not been happy with its minimal participation in WHO activities, the illegitimacy of the way it has been treated in the bidding process, and the illegality of a memorandum of understanding that the WHO Secretariat signed privately with China in 2005, according to Lin Cheng-yi, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's IEAS.
In a "broader perspective, " Taiwan did not lose in the international spectrum, said Lo Chi-cheng, a professor at Soochow University who serves as the executive commissioner of Taiwan Thinktank, organizer of the forum that reviewed Taiwan's strategy in its 2007 WHO bid.
"The U.S. and Japan are still supportive of Taiwan's bid as a WHA observer, and the European Union maintains its support of Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO activities as well. In other words, Taiwan has not taken a step back. Instead, Taiwan has expressed its position more clearly, " Lo said.
The scholars also claimed that Taiwan's proposal this year made it "once again the limelight" of the annual WHA meeting, and claimed that this will be helpful for Taiwan's promotion for its WHO bid, that first started in 1995.
It called into question among countries all over the world whether it is fair that Taiwan, a country that has donated over US$300 million during the past 10 years to more than 90 countries for international medical and humanitarian relief, has not been accepted as a WHO member, according to Chiu Ya-wen, a researcher at the National Health Research Institute.
Just 17 countries voted in favor of Taiwan's membership being discussed, while 148 voted against the idea.
Taiwan's new strategy to bid for full WHO membership instead of trying for observer status in the World Health Assembly (WHA) "challenged the WHO on its founding principle of 'health for all' and made the international community question whether the organization has yielded to political reality, thus taking the people of Taiwan to the moral high ground, " said David Huang, an associate research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of European and American Studies (IEAS).
The new proposal also shows the world that Taiwan has not been happy with its minimal participation in WHO activities, the illegitimacy of the way it has been treated in the bidding process, and the illegality of a memorandum of understanding that the WHO Secretariat signed privately with China in 2005, according to Lin Cheng-yi, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's IEAS.
In a "broader perspective, " Taiwan did not lose in the international spectrum, said Lo Chi-cheng, a professor at Soochow University who serves as the executive commissioner of Taiwan Thinktank, organizer of the forum that reviewed Taiwan's strategy in its 2007 WHO bid.
"The U.S. and Japan are still supportive of Taiwan's bid as a WHA observer, and the European Union maintains its support of Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO activities as well. In other words, Taiwan has not taken a step back. Instead, Taiwan has expressed its position more clearly, " Lo said.
The scholars also claimed that Taiwan's proposal this year made it "once again the limelight" of the annual WHA meeting, and claimed that this will be helpful for Taiwan's promotion for its WHO bid, that first started in 1995.
It called into question among countries all over the world whether it is fair that Taiwan, a country that has donated over US$300 million during the past 10 years to more than 90 countries for international medical and humanitarian relief, has not been accepted as a WHO member, according to Chiu Ya-wen, a researcher at the National Health Research Institute.
Just 17 countries voted in favor of Taiwan's membership being discussed, while 148 voted against the idea.
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