Taipei Liaison Office in the RSA

SA-TAIWAN eNews FEBRUARY 26TH 2020 PUBLISHER: MATTHEW CHOU ISSUE 1

I, and the South African Government, have enormous appreciation for the contribution that

the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has made to the commitment of the Govern-

ment sector in the economic development in Africa. The ROC (Taiwan) further, made a gener-

ous and much appreciated contribution to South Africa's transition to democracy .

Statement by President Nelson Mandela—27 November 1996

February Snapshots of Taiwan

Left,Members of U-Theater perform during the closing ceremony of Taiwan Lantern Festival Feb. 23 in

Taichung City. The annual event attracted more than 10 million visitors during its 16-day run in central Tai-

wan. (Courtesy of Taichung City Government);Middle,President Tsai Ing-wen (left) shares a smile with Medi-

gen Vaccine Biologics Corp. Vice Chairman Charles Chen Feb. 20 during a tour of the company’s facility in

Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan. MVC is cooperating with the U.S. National Institutes of Health to develop a

vaccine for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. (Courtesy of Presidential Office);Right,The most popular

entries to Taitung International Balloon Festival from the past 20 years are revealed by the southeastern

county’s local government Feb. 20. (Courtesy of Taitung County Government)

President Tsai thanks allies for supporting Taiwan’s international participation

President Tsai Ing-wen

thanked Central American

allies Belize and Guatemala

as well as Caribbean ally Haiti

Feb. 18 for backing Taiwan’s

participation in the activities,

mechanisms and meetings of

international organizations.

Faced with China’s campaign of

coercion, Taiwan sincerely appreci-

ates the firm backing of its diplo-

matic allies and like-minded part-

ners for the country’s attendance at

events such as the U.N. General

Assembly last year.

Tsai made the remarks while receiv-

ing permanent representatives to

the U.N. Lois Michele Young, Luis

Antonio Lam Padilla and Patrick

Saint-Hilaire from Belize, Guatemala

and Haiti, respectively, at the Presi-

dential Office in Taipei City. The

delegation is in Taiwan on a five-day

political, economic and cultural fact-

finding visit.

According to Tsai, Taiwan is a front-

line state against the spread of

COVID-19. The country deserves a

seat at the table in the World

Health Organization and other U.N.

specialized agencies, she added.

Health should come be-

fore politics, Tsai said,

adding that the country’s

world-leading health

care system and experi-

ence with the 2003 out-

break of severe acute

respiratory syndrome mean it can

make a real contribution to ensur-

ing a seamless global pandemic pre-

vention network.

Tsai also vowed to strengthen the

country’s ties with its allies by con-

tinuing steadfast diplomacy under

the principle of mutual assistance

for mutual benefits, citing coopera-

tion projects involving agriculture,

commerce and tourism in Guate-

mala, Haiti and Belize, respectively.

Headline News Page 2 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

MOFA thanks allies, partners for supporting Taiwan’s WHA participation

The staunch support of the country’s

diplomatic allies and like-minded part-

ners for Taiwan’s participation in the

World Health Assembly, the decision-

making body of the World Health Organi-

zation, is greatly appreciated, according

to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following an outbreak of pneumonia

caused by the Wuhan coronavirus, diplo-

matic allies Belize, Guatemala, Haiti,

Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lu-

cia, as well as like-minded partners in

Canada, Japan, the EU and the U.S., reit-

erated the importance of Taiwan’s con-

tributions and engagement to global

health and disease combatting networks.

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner urged WHO Di-

rector-General Tedros Adhanom Ghe-

breyesus in a joint letter cosigned by

Sens. Marco Rubio, James Inhofe, John

Cornyn, Mitt Romney, Ted Cruz and Tom

Cotton Jan. 31 to grant Taiwan observer

status in the activities, mechanisms and

meetings of the global body. “Taiwan’s

exclusion from the WHO is an act of ag-

gression that harms the international

public health community’s ability to co-

ordinate effectively,” he said, adding that

the time has come for the country to be

allowed to lend its considerable exper-

tise toward prevention and containment

efforts.

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also

spoke up for Taiwan’s participation. Pre-

venting further spread of the new coro-

navirus will be exponentially harder if

Taiwan is excluded for political reasons,

he said.

On behalf of the EU, European External

Action Service spokeswoman Virginie

Battu-Henriksson said the organization

will continue to seek practical solutions

for including Taiwan whenever its techni-

cal prowess and capacity can provide

additional value.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

also expressed support after statements

by Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland and

former health minister Ginette Petitpas

Taylor. “We believe that Taiwan’s role as

an observer in WHA meetings is in the

best interest of the international health

community, and also it is an important

partner in the fight against this epi-

demic,” he said.

Other leaders, representatives and

groups speaking in support of Taiwan

include St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen

Chastanet; St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Min-

ister Timothy Harris and Minister of For-

eign Affairs Mark Brantley; Belize Minis-

ter of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington;

Haiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Bocchit

Edmond; the Ministries of Foreign Affairs

of Guatemala and Paraguay; the Central

American Integration System; and the

Central American Parliament.

Taiwan participated in the annual WHA

as an observer from 2009 to 2016. The

country is excluded from the 73rd edi-

tion running May 17-21 in Geneva at the

request of the Chinese authorities.

President Tsai meets with former senior US official President Tsai Ing-wen met with Randall

Schriver, chairman of Project 2049 Insti-

tute and former U.S. Department of De-

fense assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific

security affairs, Feb. 20 at the Presiden-

tial Office, emphasizing the two sides’

long-standing commitment to regional

peace and freedom.

Schriver was joined during his visit by

Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu

and National Security Council Secretary-

General David Lee.

Tsai thanked Schriver for strengthening

the Taiwan-U.S. security relationship

during his tenure as assistant secretary

for IPSA, particularly for his role in facili-

tating an agreement to sell the country F

-16V fighter jets in 2019. She also ex-

pressed her appreciation for Schriver’s

continued support of Taiwan’s democ-

racy and security.

Last month’s presidential election once

again proved the people’s determination

to uphold democratic values, Tsai said.

She reiterated her hope to work closely

with like-minded countries such as the

U.S. to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific

region.

Tsai stressed that excluding Taiwan from

the World Health Organization creates a

gap in international efforts to combat

the spread of COVID-19. She extended

thanks to the U.S. Congress and people

for their long-term support of Taiwan’s

participation in the WHO as well as their

recognition of the right to health for all

global citizens.

Business and Economics Page 3 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

Taiwan treats tickle taste buds in Dubai Taiwan food companies are showcas-

ing their finest wares at Gulfood

2020, the largest annual food and

beverage trade exhibition in the Mid-

dle East and North Africa running

Feb. 16-20 in Dubai, United Arab

Emirates.

The dedicated pavilion showcasing

top food products from 18 home-

grown vendors is organized by the

Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Bureau

of Foreign Trade and Taiwan External

Trade Development Council (TAITRA)

with the goal of expanding the coun-

try’s reach into promising markets of

the Middle East.

The Agriculture Bureau of Kaohsiung

City Government is on hand to pro-

mote fresh dragon fruits, guavas and

jujubes from southern Taiwan. Other

choice items on display include cof-

fee, edamame, and mochi.

Among eminent visitors cheering on

staffers at Taiwan’s booths was Jerry

Yang, director-general of the Com-

mercial Office of Taipei, Dubai, UAE.

He was joined in touring Taiwan’s

offerings Feb. 16 by Abdul Kareem Al

-Hendal, a Kuwaiti social media ce-

lebrity with 2.4 million followers on

Instagram.

Abdul Kareem was invited by the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit

Taiwan in 2018. He helped publicize

Taiwan’s commitment to fulfilling the

U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

with a short film shot during his tour

and posted to his Instagram page.

GDP growth hits 3.31 percent in Q4 for Taiwan

Taiwan’s gross domestic product

grew 3.31 percent in the fourth quar-

ter of 2019, according to the Direc-

torate-General of Budget, Accounting

and Statistics Feb. 12.

Domestic demand remained the

main growth driver, with private con-

sumption up 2.63 percent bolstered

by strong sales of automobiles and

electric motorcycles, as well as

booming retail and food and bever-

age sectors during the holiday shop-

ping season.

Exports of goods and services gained

2.64 percent on the back of a double-

digit increase in information and

communication technology ship-

ments, while imports picked up 4.44

percent as local semiconductor firms

continued to ramp up production.

The DGBAS also adjusted Taiwan’s

2019 economic growth estimate to

2.71 percent, with per capita GDP

reaching US$25,909 and the con-

sumer price index rising 0.56 per-

cent.

Although the global outbreak of the

new coronavirus crisis remains a ma-

jor factor impacting economic activ-

ity, the DGBAS forecasts Taiwan’s

exports to gain an additional 2.85

percent in 2020. At the same time,

private consumption is tipped to

grow 1.58 percent, with CPI increases

capped at 0.62 percent.

The numbers confirm Taiwan’s eco-

nomic fundamentals are in good

shape. London-based IHS Markit Ltd.,

a leading source of information and

insight in critical areas shaping the

international business landscape,

predicts growth of 2.5 percent for

the global economy in 2020.

Major countries such as the U.S.,

South Korea, Singapore and Japan

expected to gain 2.1 percent, 1.6 per-

cent, 1.2 percent and 0.6 percent,

respectively over the year, according

to IHS.

Science & Technology Page 4 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

Tsai pledges to advance Taiwan’s smart technology development

President Tsai Ing-wen said Feb. 10

that the government is progressing

well in its plans to transform Taiwan

into a digital nation and smart island,

with preparations for industrial up-

grades and economic restructuring in

full swing as the country prepares for

the coming 5G wireless era.

Efficient transportation, smart health

care and a thriving digital economy are

key to fast-tracking Taiwan’s techno-

logical development, Tsai said. The

government is also overseeing the in-

stallation of comprehensive broadband

infrastructure countrywide to narrow

the urban-rural divide, she added.

Tsai made the remarks during the

opening ceremony of the 2020 Intelli-

gent Community Forum Top7 Global

Cities Announcement/Conference in

Taoyuan.

According to Tsai, the northern city is a

shining example of progress made in

the past few years. An executive center

of the government’s flagship Asian Sili-

con Valley Development Plan, Taoyuan

was awarded New York-based ICF’s

2019 Intelligent Community of the Year

for its outstanding application of smart

technology to local governance, Tsai

said, praising its use of augmented and

virtual reality devices for startups, tele-

medicine for residents in remote areas

and video translation for new immi-

grants.

Launched in 2016, the ASVDP has two

primary objectives: promoting innova-

tion and R&D for devices and Internet

of Things applications as well as up-

grading Taiwan’s startup and entrepre-

neurship ecosystem.

Tsai also praised the use of technology

by Taiwan’s health agencies following

the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, in-

cluding an official LINE account provid-

ing citizens with access to accurate and

up-to-date disease information, spot-

lighting the government’s technical

prowess and rapid response capability

in the face of an emergency.

First-round bidding for Taiwan’s 5G

spectrum wrapped up last month. The

technology is expected to further se-

cure the country’s status as a global

leader in innovation, Tsai said.

NCDR inks disaster management pacts with Nepal municipalities

Taiwan’s National Science and Technol-

ogy Center for Disaster Reduction

(NCDR) signed a cooperation agree-

ment on disaster prevention with Nep-

alese municipalities Ghorahi and Tha-

kurbaba Feb. 10 in New Taipei City.

Under the pact, NCDR will assist the

municipalities through organizing train-

ing programs and transferring modern

equipment. Technologies covered in-

clude monitoring systems for precipita-

tion and seismic activity, as well as

online platforms for public information

updates.

The agreement is the latest step taken

by the Ministry of Science and Technol-

ogy in implementing its Smart Disaster

Risk Management program in line with

the New Southbound Policy. NCDR

successfully provided Nepalese munici-

palities Baijanath Rural and Kohalpur

with similar training and equipment in

2019.

NCDR Director Chen Hongey said years

of continued support from the MOST

have enabled the center to develop

and effectively implement state-of-the-

art technology into its disaster man-

agement strategy. The monitoring sys-

tems for the two cities will be installed

by the beginning of Nepal’s monsoon

season, three months from the date of

signing, he added.

Ghorahi Mayor Narulal Chaudhary

thanked NCDR for sharing its expertise.

He said the country’s world-class pre-

paredness and response capabilities

would play a critical role in addressing

his municipality’s pressing need for

better disaster management systems.

A key plank in the government’s na-

tional development policy, the NSP is

enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, busi-

ness, cultural, education, tourism and

trade relations with the 10 Association

of Southeast Asian Nations member

states, six South Asian countries, Aus-

tralia and New Zealand.

Art and Culture Page 5 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

President Tsai attends 2020 International Mother Language Day:

Indigenous Languages Development Conference On the afternoon of February 22, Presi-

dent Tsai Ing-wen delivered remarks at

the 2020 International Mother Language

Day: the Indigenous Languages Develop-

ment Conference. She said that since we

passed the Indigenous Languages Devel-

opment Act in 2017, all indigenous lan-

guages have been designated as

"national languages," and the budget

devoted to those languages is now five

times larger, a significant increase. Last

year we passed the National Languages

Development Act, and the government

will devote even more effort to ensuring

that the mother languages of all ethnic

groups can be passed on to future gen-

erations, revitalized, and developed. We

will use languages to connect with the

world, which can give Taiwan more

room to develop.

Upon her arrival, President Tsai toured

the display booths at the event and then

delivered remarks. A translation of those

remarks follows:

Yesterday was International Mother

Language Day. Taiwan has not only re-

sponded to this global day, but has also

adopted concrete measures to ensure

that mother languages are given room

to develop.

Over the past three years, the govern-

ment and private sector have been

working together every single day to

promote the transmission of mother

tongues to future generations.

The languages of Taiwan's indigenous

tribes are some of our most unique

mother tongues, and a source of pride.

After we passed the Indigenous Lan-

guages Development Act in 2017, all

indigenous languages have been desig-

nated as "national languages," and the

budget devoted to those languages is

now five times larger, a significant in-

crease.

For the past few years, our schools have

had full-time indigenous language teach-

ers. In tribal communities, these lan-

guages are being taught using indige-

nous language promoters and a mentor-

ing system. Even in government agen-

cies, we have made our first attempts to

use indigenous languages in official gov-

ernment documents and simultaneous

interpretation.

We have indigenous peoples from all

over the country here today who are

studying and promoting indigenous lan-

guages together. I want to thank all of

you, because your persistence and hard

work will make our efforts to pass on

indigenous languages even more suc-

cessful in the future.

And our efforts will extend beyond the

languages of indigenous peoples. Last

year we passed the National Languages

Development Act, and the government

will devote even more effort to ensuring

that the mother languages of all ethnic

groups can be passed on to future gen-

erations, revitalized, and developed.

We have established a national Hakka

radio station and a Taiwanese-language

channel under our Public Television Ser-

vice. The new 12-Year Basic Education

curriculum also has added flexibility to

allow for the study of mother tongues.

Although the mother languages of re-

cent immigrants are not "national lan-

guages," they are gradually being intro-

duced into school curriculums, and the

Ministry of Education is actively training

qualified teachers.

I believe that in addition to learning

mother languages at home, students

should also be able to learn them in

school. Even more important, it is the

government's responsibility to create a

diverse and positive environment so that

Taiwan's young generation will be willing

to learn and speak their mother tongue

without inhibitions.

In the past, people who spoke their

mother tongue could be punished. But

today, the government encourages peo-

ple to speak their mother tongue, and

use those languages to let the world see

another side of Taiwan. This reflects

democratic values, achieved through the

efforts of many people. We will cherish

our mother tongues even more, and

continue to promote their importance.

The theme for this year's International

Mother Language Day is "Languages

Without Borders." And I believe that

acknowledging the importance of

mother languages can not only help us

appreciate diverse cultures, but also

help us use languages to connect with

the world. Links to New Southbound

Policy countries, Austronesian ethnic

groups, and ethnic Chinese around the

world can give Taiwan more room to

develop. So let's continue our efforts,

and continue to enjoy the beauty of

learning and speaking our mother

tongues.

In closing, I would like to congratulate

the Foundation for the Research and

Development of Indigenous Languages

on its formal establishment, and hope

that the next two days of meetings will

be a great success.

Medical & health care Page 6 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

Starting February 10, 14-day home quarantine to be required for travelers

transiting through China, Hong Kong and Macau and granted entry into Tai-

wan; restrictions on direct flights to and from China, Hong Kong and Macau to

be implemented and flights from certain airports to be suspended

As the recent cumulative total of

confirmed cases of 2019 novel

coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection

in China is rapidly growing, the Cen-

tral Epidemic Command Center

(CECC) announced the following

instruction:

Starting from 0:00 am of February

10, 2020, travelers who transit

through China, Hong Kong and

Macau and are granted entry into

Taiwan and will be required to be

under home quarantine for 14

days.

Pursuant to the request proposed

by the Ministry of Health and Wel-

fare, Taiwan for disease prevention,

the Ministry of Transportation and

Communications will impose a tem-

porary ban on cross-strait passen-

ger flights between Taiwan and cer-

tain airports in China starting 0:00

am of February 10 to 11:59 pm of

April 29. Except for the flights to

and from Beijing Capital Interna-

tional Airport, Shanghai Pudong

International Airport, Shanghai

Hongqiao International Airport, Xia-

men Gaoqi International Airport

and Chengdu Shuangliu Interna-

tional Airport, cross-strait flights to

and from the remaining airports in

China will be suspended. (Source:Bureau Of Consular Affairs Counter)

Czech lawmakers urge WHA observer status for Taiwan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

thanked the Czech Republic parlia-

ment Feb. 15 for two letters urging

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,

director-general of the World

Health Organization, to grant Tai-

wan observer status in the World

Health Assembly.

One letter was sent by Petr Fiala

and Vojtech Pikal, vice presidents

of the lower house, with another

sent by Pavel Fischer, chairman of

the upper house’s Committee on

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Secu-

rity. In total, 71 parliamentarians

signed the missives calling on Ghe-

breyesus to recognize the impor-

tance of including Taiwan in the

activities, mechanisms and meet-

ings of the WHO.

The letters follow other similar sub-

missions to Ghebreyesus by law-

makers from Austria, Estonia,

France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland,

Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal,

Slovakia, Spain and the Nether-

lands, the European parliament and

the U.K.

According to the MOFA, there is a

growing cross-party chorus ema-

nating from Europe calling for the

global body to rectify its incorrect

listing of Taiwan under China’s ju-

risdiction. The mistake has contrib-

uted to significant misunderstand-

ing around the world, as seen in the

Italian government’s decision to

ban all

flights

from Tai-

wan, the

ministry

said.

The government will continue

working with its like-minded part-

ners in the region to prevent the

spread of disease while ensuring a

seamless global public health net-

work, the MOFA added.

Taiwan participated in the annual

WHA as an observer from 2009 to

2016. The government is seeking a

seat at the table for the 73rd edi-

tion running May 17-21 in Geneva.

SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

Entertainment Page 7

Hsieh Su-wei wins doubles gold again at Dubai Tennis Championships

Defending champions Taiwan’s

Hsieh Su-wei and her doubles

partner Barbora Strycova of the

Czech Republic triumphed at the

Dubai Tennis Championships Feb.

22, keeping their cool in the de-

sert heat in the face of deter-

mined opposition.

Battling to a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6,

10-5 victory, the top-seeded pair

defeated Barbora Krejcikova of

the Czech Republic and Zheng

Saisai of China in the final.

Splitting the opening 10 games of

the first set, Hsieh and Strycova

took control by breaking Zheng’s

serve after a back-and-forth rally.

The pair held serve in the next

game, converting on their fifth set

point.

Momentum remained with the

Taiwan-Czech combination to be-

gin the second set as they raced

out to a 3-1 lead, but their chal-

lengers were unwilling to give up

without a fight, roaring back to

take the next five games and

force a tiebreak set.

Despite digging themselves into a

0-3 deficit, Hsieh and Strycova re-

discovered their touch at the net

to reel off eight straight points

and win 10-5 in the decider fol-

lowing a double fault from their

Chinese opponent.

Hsieh’s run marks her third con-

secutive year reaching the

women’s doubles final in Dubai.

She finished as runner-up with

partner Peng Shuai of China in

2018, before pairing up with Stry-

cova last year.

Team Taiwan triumphs at world tug of war championships

Team Taiwan claimed five gold

medals and one silver at the

World Indoor Tug of War Champi-

onships organized by Netherlands

-based Tug of War International

Federation Feb. 20-23 in Letterk-

enny, Ireland.

Women’s teams led the way

through victories in the senior 500

- and 540-kilogram weight classes,

as well as the under-23 500-kg

class, with all three wins at the

expense of tug of war power-

house the Basque Country from

Spain.

Success in the senior 540-kg and

under-23 500-kg categories saw

Taiwan defend its crowns won at

the 2018 edition of the biennial

competition in Xuzhou, China.

For the men, victory came in the

senior 560-kg and under-23 600-

kg classes, rounded out by second

place in the senior mixed division.

Taipei Representative Office in

Ireland said it passed on congratu-

latory messages to all the coun-

try’s participating athletes from

President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice Presi-

dent Chen Chien-jen, Premier Su

Tseng-chang, and Sports Admini-

stration Director-General Kao

Chin-hsung.

More than 500 competitors from

11 countries and territories in-

cluding Germany, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, Russia, the Netherlands

and the U.K. took part in this

year’s event.

Tourism Page 8 SA-TAIWAN ENEWS

ISSUE 2

Starting February 7, 2020, the Republic of China (Taiwan) will imple-ment a temporary measure prohibiting foreign nationals who in the previous 14 days have visited or resided in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including Hong Kong and Macao, from entering Taiwan

1.In view of the fact that the Tai-

wan government on February 5

designated all areas of the PRC

(including Hong Kong and Macao)

as being severely affected by the

novel coronavirus outbreak (areas

of level 2 or higher), foreign nation-

als who have visited or resided any-

where in the PRC, including Hong

Kong and Macao, in the previous 14

days will be temporarily prohibited

from entering Taiwan starting Feb-

ruary 7. Entry visa applications by

such foreign nationals, including

those submitted for special rea-

sons, will not be accepted by Tai-

wan’s overseas missions while this

temporary measure is in effect.

2.Foreign nationals possessing a

valid Taiwan Resident Certificate

who have visited or resided any-

where in the PRC, including Hong

Kong and Macao, in the previous 14

days shall self-isolate at their home

after returning to Taiwan and be

under home quarantine for a pe-

riod of 14 days.

3.The aforementioned measures

will officially take effect on Febru-

ary 7, and may be adjusted based

on the development of the novel

coronavirus outbreak. (Source:Public

Diplomacy Coordination Council)

MOFA welcomes Philippines’ decision to lift Taiwan travel ban

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feb.

14 welcomed the decision by the

government of the Philippines ear-

lier the same day to immediately

lift travel restrictions on visitors

from Taiwan.

This positive development reflects

the Southeast Asian country’s rec-

ognition of the effective and strict

protocols implemented by Taiwan

to prevent the spread of a new

coronavirus first discovered in the

Chinese city of Wuhan late last

year, the MOFA said.

According to the ministry, the situa-

tion in Taiwan is well under control,

with the government’s disease-

fighting measures and information

transparency commended by the

international community.

In a tweet on the MOFA’s official

Twitter account, Foreign Minister

Jaushieh Joseph Wu praised the

friendship between the two coun-

tries and celebrated the result as a

triumph for diplomatic efforts.

The MOFA also urged the World

Health Organization to correct its

misleading designation of Taiwan

as part of China, adding that politics

should have no place in the global

fight against disease.

This error has caused several coun-

tries to unilaterally issue travel re-

strictions on visitors or direct flights

from Taiwan, resulting in great in-

convenience for thousands of peo-

ple and disrupting the global avia-

tion network, the ministry said.

The WHO must invite Taiwan to

take part in all its related activities,

mechanisms and meetings, includ-

ing the upcoming World Health As-

sembly, so as to ensure the integ-

rity of the global disease-fighting

network, the MOFA added.