H. R. 428
One Hundred Seventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the third day of January, two thousand and one
An Act
Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO).
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Good health is important to every citizen of the world
and access to the highest standards of health information and
services is necessary to improve the public health.
(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international
health cooperation forums and programs is beneficial for all
parts of the world, especially with today’s greater potential
for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such
as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and
malaria.
(3) Taiwan’s population of 23,500,000 people is larger than
that of 3⁄4 of the member states already in the World Health
Organization (WHO).
(4) Taiwan’s achievements in the field of health are
substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels
in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to
those of western countries, the eradication of such infectious
diseases as cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and the first
to eradicate polio and provide children with hepatitis B vaccina-
tions.
(5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and its Taiwan counterpart agencies have enjoyed
close collaboration on a wide range of public health issues.
(6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness
to assist financially and technically in international aid and
health activities supported by the WHO.
(7) On January 14, 2001, an earthquake, registering
between 7.6 and 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck El Salvador.
In response, the Taiwanese government sent 2 rescue teams,
consisting of 90 individuals specializing in firefighting, medi-
cine, and civil engineering. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign
Affairs also donated $200,000 in relief aid to the Salvadoran
Government.
(8) The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to
participate in the activities of the organization, including the
Palestine Liberation Organization in 1974, the Order of Malta,
and the Holy See in the early 1950’s.
H. R. 428—2
(9) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review,
declared its intention to support Taiwan’s participation in
appropriate international organizations.
(10) Public Law 106–137 required the Secretary of State
to submit a report to the Congress on efforts by the executive
branch to support Taiwan’s participation in international
organizations, in particular the WHO.
(11) In light of all benefits that Taiwan’s participation
in the WHO can bring to the state of health not only in
Taiwan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its
23,500,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful
participation in the WHO.
(b) PLAN.—The Secretary of State is authorized—
(1) to initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain
observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit
of the World Health Assembly in May 2001 in Geneva, Switzer-
land; and
(2) to instruct the United States delegation to Geneva
to implement that plan.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 14 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a written
report to the Congress in unclassified form containing the plan
authorized under subsection (b).
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.