- Title: Protesters rally in Taipei after Taiwan shut out of U.N. forum
- Date: 21st May 2017
- Summary: CAMERAMEN FILMING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARDS AND CHANTING SLOGANS PROTESTERS STANDING ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) PROTESTER, CHUANG CHIA-YUAN, SAYING FROM STAGE: "Taiwan and the World Health Organization need each other. The World Health Organization denying Taiwan's participation (in the World Health Organization) not only violates medical human rights, medical ethics and the principle of justice, but also surrender to the hegemony of China, discriminating and abandoning 23 million people in Taiwan. In terms of threat of diseases around the world and public health and well-being, Taiwan expects to work together with other countries, hand in hand, sharing Taiwan's experiences and creating happy and healthy future." PARTICIPANTS SEATED HOLDING PLACARDS AND WHITE BALLOONS BANNER READING (English and Chinese): "WE ARE READY FOR WHO" (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 56-YEAR-OLD DENTIST, PAI CHU-CHENG, SAYING: "The fact is that we can't participate in the World Health Assembly. It's very strange. We could participate (in the World Health Assembly) as an observer in the past, why can't we go this year? Is it right? So basically, our Taiwanese are very concerned about it and hoping to be an observer, contributing our medical technologies to the whole world every year."
- Embargoed: 4th June 2017 15:49
- Keywords: protest U.N. forum Taiwan World Health Organisation
- Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
- City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
- Country: Taiwan
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036HS6MO7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Around a hundred participants dressed in white clothes gathered in Taipei on Sunday (May 21) to spell out English letters "WHO TW" to protest Taiwan being excluded from this year's World Health Assembly, which kicks off less than a day in Geneva.
All participants got dressed in white while holding banners printing "WHO needs Taiwan" to express their dissatisfaction of not being invited.
Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, which recognizes the "one China" policy centered on Beijing, and it never formally takes part in U.N. meetings. But it has in the past been given observer status at some conferences with Beijing's acquiescence.
Taiwan sent a delegation to a U.N. health meeting even though it does not have an invitation, warning China that attempts to exclude it could irreversibly damage ties. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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