Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
February 9, 1999
The Honorable Madeleine Albright
U.S. Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington,
D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Albright:
Since 1972, the people of Taiwan have been blocked from
participating in the World Health Organization. As a
consequence, the children of Taiwan needlessly suffer because
their doctors are denied access to the latest WHO protocols.
Unfortunately, with each passing year our administration worsens
Taiwan's plight by supporting China's assertion that its
neighbor is not a nation and therefore should not be represented
in the international community.
The fact of the matter is that participation for Taiwan in the
World Health Organization poses no threat to Beijing's security
but would enhance the quality of life for its 1.2. billion
inhabitants. The WHO is a benign organization, working to
eradicate and control disease and to improve the health of
people around the world. It has instituted highly effective
immunization programs, allowing hundreds of millions of children
live better, longer and healthier lives. The WHO has already
helped protect eight out of ten children worldwide from major
childhood diseases, including measles and tuberculosis, and has
worked to reduce the global infant mortality by nearly forty
percent since 1970.
We should all be deeply distressed by our government's refusal
to assist Taiwan in its struggle to conquer diseases which we
ourselves have already practically exterminated. Last year, the
House of Representatives initiated a campaign to right this
wrong. Our efforts culminated in the passage of H.Con.Res.334 on
October 9, 1998 with 418 members supporting participation for
Taiwan in the World Health Organization. There were no
abstaining votes.
This May, the World Health Organization will convene its
annual Ministers Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Given the
unanimous support in the House of Representatives for Taiwan's
participation in the WHO, we request your office inform us of
the steps the U.S. will pursue in securing WHO affiliation for
the 21 million people of free and democratic Taiwan.
Your prompt response is appreciated.
Sincerely,