Taiwan’s health ministry delegation visits Swiss Federal Assembly and Bern Town Hall

Taiwan’s health ministry delegation visits Swiss Federal Assembly and Bern Town Hall

2023-05-26

Last week, a delegation from Taiwan’s health ministry headed to Switzerland to advocate for Taiwan’s inclusion in the World Health Assembly. Though Taiwan has been excluded from the event once again, the delegation took the opportunity to form closer ties with Swiss politicians. On Wednesday, they visited the Swiss Federal Assembly, and the Bern Town Hall, where local politicians voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the annual health summit.

Taiwan’s delegation on Wednesday went to the Swiss capital, Bern, to visit the Federal Assembly. One lawmaker they met was the head of the Swiss parliamentary friendship group for Taiwan, Lukas Reimann. A reporter asked him to comment on how Taiwanese journalists had been denied press passes to cover the WHA due to Chinese pressure.

Lukas Reimann
National Council member
This is unacceptable for me, I think Switzerland as a host country must accept every passport. I feel very ashamed for Switzerland, as a country of neutrality and openness that we don’t tackle the WHO more, because this is unacceptable and has to change.

Earlier this month, the assembly’s lower house passed a resolution calling for closer ties with the Legislative Yuan, in a show of the close relationship between Taiwan and Switzerland. CDC deputy head Philip Lo spoke about the exchanges and experiences of each country during the pandemic.

Philip Lo
CDC deputy head
During the pandemic, they did not implement too many infection control measures. The main reason for that is that the people did not support such measures. They didn’t have as much government intervention as other countries.

The delegation later headed to Bern Town Hall. There, they met with Mayor Alec von Graffenried, who visited Taiwan in 2015. He once again showed his support for Taiwan.

Alec von Graffenried
Bern mayor
I think Taiwan should go straight on the way in democratization, respect of human rights and being a role model for the whole of Asia, and the whole of the world. And I think that sooner or later nobody can refuse to include Taiwan in the global family. Taiwan will never be alone.

Hsueh Jui-yuan
Health minister
In Swiss politics, supporting Taiwan is not a minority position. Communicating better and engaging more with the Swiss government perhaps could help us join the WHO.

Taiwan has been excluded from the WHA for seven years in a row now. The U.S. State Department on Thursday said it was disappointed with the WHO’s decision, saying that it would continue to support Taiwan’s return as an observer.

Matthew Miller
US Department of State spokesperson
We were disappointed that they decided not to do so. We believe that inviting Taiwan as an observer would exemplify the WHO’s commitment to an inclusive health-for-all approach to international health cooperation. And the United States will continue to advocate for Taiwan’s return as an observer at WHA.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had issued a statement saying that the U.S. strongly encouraged the WHO to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer in the WHA. It was the third statement of support for Taiwan’s participation since taking office.