Taiwanese Community in the Philippines Holds Rally to Support Taiwan’s Participation in WHA
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The 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) is scheduled to take place from May 27th to June 1st in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme ” All For Health, Health For All” However, due to political pressure, Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend this prestigious event since 2017, sparking international attention.
To raise awareness of this issue within Filipino society, the Taiwanese community in the Philippines organized its first-ever rally, calling on all sectors to support Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. On May 11th, approximately 150 overseas Taiwanese, clad in “Taiwan Can Help” themed T-shirts, gathered in the heart of Manila to express their support.
Andrew Liang, President of the Taiwanese Compatriot Association in the Philippines, emphasized during the event that health transcends politics. Despite Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHA for many years, numerous international allies, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have voiced support for Taiwan’s participation in this year’s assembly as an observer. He urged more Filipino and global friends to join the ranks in supporting Taiwan.
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Ambassador Wallace Chow of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines highlighted Taiwan’s outstanding performance in global health care. Taiwan ranked first in the world in the 2024 Healthcare Index, out of 110 countries and regions, recognizing Taiwan as the top country in healthcare systems and various public health indicators. He stressed that health is a universal human right and thanked international allies for their support, calling on the WHA to remain uninfluenced by political factors and to continue to exclude Taiwan.
The rally concluded on a high note with live band performances and the distribution of masks and informational pamphlets to Filipino citizens along the route. Representatives and members from various overseas Taiwanese organizations, including the Taiwan Association Inc. Philippines (TAP), the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (TCCI), the Taiwanese Chamber of the South Philippines (TCSPI ), and the Taiwan Hakka Association in Phils., Inc. (THAP) actively participated, collectively expressing their support for Taiwan.
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