The World Health Assembly will be held at the end of May. The Belgian Foreign Minister supports Taiwan becoming an observer | Politics | Central News Agency CNA

2024/4/24 18:04(Updated 4/24 18:36)

(Central News Agency reporter Tian Xiru, Brussels, 24th) The 77th World Health Assembly will be held from May 27 to June 1. Belgian Foreign Minister Rabi reiterated in Congress his support for Taiwan to become an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA), and will be related to The agency discussed this issue with other countries. Belgium currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

Hadja Lahbib responded to questions from three Belgian federal representatives about her support for Taiwan’s participation in international multilateral organizations.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Els Van Hoof said that China has blocked Taiwan from participating in the WHO as an observer since 2016. The Belgian government has expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations several times in the past, and Rabi also expressed support in April last year. , she asked Rabi to answer whether he had advocated this position in his recent contacts with Chinese officials and whether he would arrange an agenda to discuss this matter in the EU.

Georges Dallemagne, co-chairman of the Belgian Parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group, said that Taiwan’s participation in technical meetings of the World Health Organization (WHO) has improved to some extent in the past with the joint support of countries with similar ideas. The verbal support from representatives is helpful. , but he wanted to know if Rabi had more specific plans to promote Taiwan’s participation.

Wouter De Vriendt, leader of the Ecolo faction, emphasized that Taiwan’s response measures from the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) epidemic four years ago to the earthquake on April 3 have shown that the public health field has failed. Although Taiwan has performed well, although it is resilient, it is impossible to resist Beijing’s attempts to belittle Taiwan alone. Therefore, it should find ways to further integrate Taiwan into the international community.

Rabie responded to the inquiry and pointed out that Belgium continues to reiterate its position of supporting Taiwan’s participation in international multilateral organizations, including when it contacts Chinese officials. She said that Taiwan should be invited to become an observer at the World Health Assembly in May. In the next few weeks, she will discuss and share her views on this issue with other countries and relevant institutions, and emphasized that the EU-led WHO technical meetings have regularly invited Taiwanese experts to participate. .

At the end of this agenda, Van Hove said that China has increased its coercion against Belgium through cyber attacks. “We will not let them succeed. We will continue to defend and work hard to preserve the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.” (Editor: Chen Huiping) 1130424

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