Taipei, May 9 (CNA) The mention of the "one China principle" by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its invitation for Taiwan to attend the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) is an attempt to denigrate the country's status, Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) said Monday.
The bureau made the statement in a report to the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee. Among other things, the NSB's responsibilities include analyzing developments that could have national security implications for Taiwan.
In a letter dated May 6 to Minister of Health and Welfare Chiang Been-huang (蔣丙煌), WHO Director-General Margaret Chan invited him to attend the May 23-28 meeting in Geneva. As in the previous seven years, Taiwan has been invited to attend as an observer under the name "Chinese Taipei."
Unlike previous WHA invitations, however, the WHO mentioned the United Nations Resolution No. 2758, which was passed on October 25, 1971, recognizing the People's Republic of China (PRC) as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" and expelling the representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
It also mentioned Resolution WHA 25.1, which expelled the ROC from the WHO in 1972, as well as the "one China principle" underlying the two documents.
The incoming administration of President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who will be inaugurated on May 20, said Sunday that Health Minister-designate Lin Tsou-yen (林奏延) will attend the WHA but stressed that Taiwan's participation does not mean it accepts the "one China principle."
In its report to the committee, the Cabinet's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said it has conveyed the government's solemn stance to Beijing after Chinese officials claimed on May 6 that Taiwan's WHA participation has been an arrangement based on the "one China principle."
The MAC pointed out that over the past eight years, the government has developed a congenial relationship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and dealt with cross-strait issues pragmatically based on the "1992 consensus" of "one China, different interpretations."
It said the government maintains that "one China" refers the Republic of China and has never recognized Beijing's "one China principle," urging Beijing to face up to the reality that the two sides of the strait are under separate rule.
MAC Deputy Minister Shih Hui-fen (施惠芬), meanwhile, told reporters that the WHA issue was raised during a conversation in mid-April between MAC Minister Hsia Li-yan (夏立言) and Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, via a hotline between the two officials.
During the conversation, Hsia told Zhang that Taipei hoped that it could continue to participate in the WHA as an observer this year in the same manner as in the past seven years, Shih said.
She said the Chinese side mentioned the "one China principle" during the discussion but did not specify how the WHA invitation would be worded.
(By Tai Ya-chen and Y.F. Low)
ENDITEM/ke
Full text of the invitation:
Dr. Been-Huang Chiang Minister Ministry of Health and Welfare 10F. No. 488, Sec. 6, Zhongxiao E. Rd Nangang Dist., Taipei City 11558
6 May 2016
Dear Dr Chiang,
Recalling the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 （XXVI） and WHA Resolution 25.1, and in line with the One-China principle as reflected therein, I wish to invite you to head a delegation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chinese Taipei, to attend the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly as an observer. The Assembly will be convened at 9:30 on Monday, 23 May 2016, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland and will close no later than Saturday, 28 May 2016.
I would appreciate it if you could confirm to me your attendance and the names of attendees from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chinese Taipei, at your earliest convenience. Registration should be completed by9 May 2016.
Upon receipt of your confirmation, the Secretariat will forward to you the relevant documentation.
Yours sincerely, Dr Margaret Chan Director-General
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