方恩格專欄》臺灣參與國際組織的場邊自嗨派對
世界衛生組織（圖／路透）
今年，第77屆世界衛生大會（WHA）於5月27日至6月1日在瑞士日內瓦舉行。就臺灣今年實質參與世界衛生大會的努力而言，有些方面與往年相同，但也有些地方不同。
與往年相同的是，外交部和駐全球各地的代表處皆有發表評論或透過社交媒體爲臺灣的實質參與發聲。在美國，駐美代表俞大㵢在《國會山莊報》發表評論，並且在全球各地廣泛使用「#Taiwan Can Help」「#Taiwan Is Helping」和/或「#Count Taiwan In」這些口號。
此外，臺灣派出由衛福部長所率領的「世衛行動團」政府官員代表團前往日內瓦。部長會面了有出席世界衛生大會的成員國代表們，其中包括了與會的衛生部長及政府官員。筆者先前曾將此形容爲臺灣在場邊的「取暖派對」，因爲即使其他國家的官員來爲臺灣表達同情和鼓勵，他們依舊無法讓臺灣參加世界衛生大會。
同樣地，不少國家或議員都有發表聲明支持臺灣參與世界衛生大會。最近幾周，外交部非常忙碌地表示感謝，並發表了以下的感謝聲明：6月1日，外交部發表聲明，宣稱今年爭取參與的努力所獲國際支持再創新高。5月30日，外交部發表聲明，感謝捷克參議院以壓倒性票數通過了支持臺灣參與世界衛生大會的決議（這也是捷克參議院連續4年通過友臺決議）。5月29日，外交部發表聲明，感謝臺灣的友邦及其他理念相近的國家在世界衛生大會上爲臺灣仗義執言。該聲明提到了臺灣的11個友邦，以及日本、加拿大、捷克、美國、紐西蘭、立陶宛、愛沙尼亞、盧森堡，在會議中以明確提及「臺灣」的方式爲臺灣發聲，並指出拉脫維亞和以色列以「強調包容性方式呼應我國訴求」。
5月28日，外交部感謝支持臺灣加入世界衛生大會的國家，該聲明還表達了，臺灣對於大會最終決定不將其友邦提案列入議程的結論，外交部深表遺憾與不滿。5月26日，外交部感謝各國以各種多元方式來展現對臺灣參與世界衛生組織和世界衛生大會的支持。5月25日，外交部也發表了聲明，有關外交部長林佳龍和衛福部長邱泰源共同召開記者會，表示臺灣將持續爭取參與世界衛生組織和世界衛生大會。5月24日，外交部發表聲明，感謝美國、日本、澳洲、英國、加拿大、德國、捷克及立陶宛駐臺機構發佈聯合新聞稿，重申支持臺灣有意義地參與世界衛生組織，以及以觀察員身分參加世界衛生大會。
5月15日，外交部發表聲明，感謝「福爾摩沙俱樂部」成員（包括歐洲議會、歐洲各國國會以及加拿大議會的成員）聯名致函，敦促世界衛生組織邀請臺灣有意義地參與今年的世界衛生大會（該信函寄給了世衛的總幹事譚德塞，並副知歐盟理事會主席米歇爾、歐盟執委會主席馮德萊恩和歐盟外交暨安全政策高級代表波瑞爾）。最後，5月2日，外交部發表聲明，感謝美國國務卿布林肯於前一天發表的聲明，其中指出「美國強烈鼓勵世界衛生組織恢復邀請臺灣以觀察員身分參與」。
今年不同的是，臺灣有了新的總統、新的外交部長，以及新的衛福部長，但他們在臺灣參加世界衛生大會問題上的態度與前蔡政府相同。另一個不同之處是，立法院的跨黨派代表團也飛往了日內瓦爲臺灣發聲，其中包括中國國民黨籍現任立法院副院長江啓臣。
世界衛生大會結束後，美國派遣官員代表團前往臺北，與臺灣政府及理念相近的駐臺北國家代表處會面，進一步討論臺灣參與國際組織的事宜。然而，外交部在有關這次訪問代表團的聲明中，並未提及來訪美國官員的姓名（但也可能是因應美國要求）。
身爲一名美國人，筆者對於美國並未公佈這些國務院官員的姓名而感到失望。同時，筆者也對賴政府能接受這一點感到失望。當我還小的時候，我的父母就曾教導我要對那些說「我是你的朋友，但我們的友誼不能讓人知道」的人保持懷疑。
最終，國際社會支持未能改變現狀；中國在世界衛生組織的影響力巨大，以至於在未獲得中國批准的情況下，臺灣必定無法參加世界衛生大會。
但也許這是臺灣嘗試不同策略的好機會？筆者先前曾評論過，臺灣應該停止試圖參與任何不讓臺灣參與的國際組織。至於世界衛生大會和世界衛生組織，臺灣可以等等看他們是否有一天會乞求臺灣參與。或者，臺灣也可以期待未來若是川普當選總統，再次退出世界衛生組織，並創建一個新的「理念相近國家衛生組織」時，臺灣可以加入。如此一來，才更能維護臺灣的尊嚴！
（作者爲美國共和黨前亞太區主席，許淳恩翻譯）
The 2024 Pity Party at the World Health Assembly
By Ross Darrell Feingold
Former Asia Chairman, Republicans Abroad
X: @RossFeingold
This year’s 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 27 May to 1 June. With regard to Taiwan’s efforts to have substantive participation in the WHA this year, some things were the same as in past years, though some things were different.
Among the things that remain the same as in past years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and representative offices around the world published commentaries or used social media to make the case for Taiwan’s substantive participation. In the United States it included a commentary published in The Hill by Representative to the United States Alexander Yui Tah-ray, and around the world often included the slogans “#TaiwanCanHelp” “#TaiwanIsHelping”, and/or “#CountTaiwanIn”.
As in past years, Taiwan sent a delegation of government officials known as the “WHA Action Team” to Geneva led by the Health and Welfare Minister. The minister met with other countries’ health ministers and government officials who were attending the WHA meeting. This author has in the past referred to this as Taiwan’s “Pity Party” events on the sidelines of the WHA meeting, because the officials from those other countries come to offer Taiwan their pity and encouragement, but are unable to get Taiwan into the WHA meeting.
Something else that is unchanged from past years was that a large number of countries or members of parliaments issued statements in support of Taiwan’s participation. In recent weeks MOFA was very busy issuing thank you statements. This includes on June 1, MOFA issued a statement that proclaimed this year Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the WHA received the highest amount of support ever. On May 30, MOFA issued a statement to thank Czechia’s Senate for passing a resolution to support Taiwan’s participation in the WHA (the fourth year in a row that the Czechia Senate passed such a resolution). On May 29 MOFA issued a thank you statement to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and countries with like minded values that spoke on Taiwan’s behalf at the WHA (this statement referred to eleven of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies as well as Japan, Canada, Czechia, the United States, New Zealand, Lithuania, Estonia, Luxembourg, for having specifically spoken about Taiwan, and Latvia and Israel were cited in this MOFA statement as having “echoed Taiwan’s demands by stressing the need for inclusivity.” On May 28 MOFA issued a thank you statement to countries that supported Taiwan’s inclusion (which statement also expressed Taiwan’s dissatisfaction that the WHA rejected the proposal by friendly countries to include on the WHA agenda the question of Taiwan’s participation). On May 26, MOFA issued a thank you statement for the different ways countries expressed their support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO and WHA. On May 25, MOFA issued a statement which reported that Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan held a joint press conference at which they said Taiwan is steadfast in its efforts to continue to seek participation in the WHO and WHA. On May 24, MOFA issued a thank you statement for the joint statement about Taiwan’s WHA and WHO participation issued by the representative offices in Taipei of the United States, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Czechia, and Lithuania.
On May 15, MOFA issued a thank you statement for the joint letter signed by members of the “Formosa Club” (which includes members of the European Parliament, European national parliaments, and the Canadian Parliament), who urged the World Health Organization to invite Taiwan to meaningfully participate in this year’s WHA (the letter was sent to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, with copies sent to President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. On May 2, MOFA issued a thank you statement for United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement issued the previous day that “United States strongly encourages the WHO to reinstate an invitation to Taiwan to participate as an observer”.
Among the things that were different this year is that Taiwan has a new President, a new Foreign Minister, and a new Health and Welfare Minister. However, their approach to the issue of Taiwan’s WHA participation was the same as the previous Tsai Administration. Another difference was that a cross-party delegation of Legislative Yuan members also flew to Geneva to advocate for Taiwan, and included Johnny Chiang, Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Yuan.
After the WHA meeting concluded, the United States sent a delegation of officials to Taipei to meet with the Taiwan government and representative offices in Taipei of like-minded countries to further discuss Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. However, MOFA in its statement about this visiting delegation (and probably at the request of the United States) did not name the visiting American officials.
As an American, this author is disappointed that the United States did not publicize the names of these State Department officials. This author is also disappointed the Lai Administration would accept this. When I was a child, my parents taught me to be skeptical of anyone who says “I’m your friend, but our friendship needs to be a secret”.
Ultimately, expressions of international support did not result in changing the situation, and China’s influence in the WHO ensures Taiwan cannot participate in the WHA unless China approves.
Perhaps it’s time that Taiwan tries a different approach? This author has previously written that Taiwan should stop trying to seek participation in any international organization that does not want Taiwan to participate. For the WHA and WHO, Taiwan can wait for when, and if, the WHA or WHO beg Taiwan to participate. Alternatively, Taiwan can hope that Donald Trump is elected President, and the United States again leaves the WHO and creates a new “Like Minded Countries Health Organization” that Taiwan can join. Such an approach would better maintain Taiwan’s dignity!