I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 237 
To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer 
status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2019 
Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to 
regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health 
Organization, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD 
HEALTH ORGANIZATION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The World Health Organization (WHO) is 
a specialized agency of the United Nations, charged 
with coordinating health efforts within the United 
Nations system. The World Health Assembly 
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(WHA) is the decision-making body of the WHO, 
which convenes annually in May to set the policies 
and priorities of the organization. Statehood is not 
a requirement for attendance at the WHA, and nu-
merous observers, including non-members and non- 
governmental organizations, attended the most re-
cent WHA in May 2017. 
(2) Taiwan began seeking to participate in the 
WHO as an observer in 1997. In 2009, with strong 
support from successive United States Administra-
tions, Congress, and like-minded WHO Member 
States, and during a period of improved Cross-Strait 
relations, Taiwan received an invitation to attend 
the WHA as an observer under the name ‘‘Chinese 
Taipei’’. Taiwan received the same invitation each 
year until 2016, when following the election of Presi-
dent Tsai-Ing Wen of the Democratic Progressive 
Party, Taiwan’s engagement in the international 
community began facing increased resistance from 
the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan’s in-
vitation to the 2016 WHA was received late and in-
cluded new language conditioning Taiwan’s partici-
pation on the PRC’s ‘‘one China principle’’. In 2017, 
Taiwan did not receive an invitation to the WHA. 
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(3) Taiwan remains a model contributor to 
world health, having provided financial and technical 
assistance to respond to numerous global health 
challenges. Taiwan has invested over $6 billion in 
international medical and humanitarian aid efforts 
impacting over 80 countries since 1996. In 2014, 
Taiwan responded to the Ebola crisis by donating $1 
million and providing 100,000 sets of personal pro-
tective equipment. Through the Global Cooperation 
and Training Framework, the United States and 
Taiwan have jointly conducted training programs for 
experts to combat MERS, Dengue Fever, and Zika. 
These diseases know no borders, and Taiwan’s need-
less exclusion from global health cooperation in-
creases the dangers presented by global pandemics. 
(4) Taiwan’s international engagement has 
faced increased resistance from the PRC. Taiwan 
was not invited to the 2016 Assembly of the Inter-
national Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), despite 
participating as a guest at the organization’s prior 
summit in 2013. Taiwan’s request to participate in 
the 2016 General Assembly of the International 
Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) was also 
rejected. In May 2017, PRC delegates disrupted a 
meeting of the Kimberley Process on conflict dia-
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