R 138

2003 -- S 1009

Enacted 04/10/03

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

COMMENDING THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) ON ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROMOTE WORLD HEALTH

Introduced By: Senators Walaska, and Issa

Date Introduced: April 10, 2003

     WHEREAS, Good health is essential to every citizen of the world and access to the

highest standards of health information and services is necessary to improve public health; and

     WHEREAS, The World Health Organization (WHO) set forth in the first chapter of its

charter the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people; and

     WHEREAS, 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 vaccinations; and

     WHEREAS, Taiwan’s population of 23.5 million is larger than that of ¾ of the member

states already in the WHO; and

     WHEREAS, The great potential of cross—border spread of diseases, such as the human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, malaria, and the recent outbreak of severe acute

respiratory syndrome (SARS), it is crucial for all countries, including Taiwan, to have direct and

unobstructed access to information and assistance from the WHO in order to successfully limit

the spread of various infectious diseases and achieve world health; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its

Taiwanese counterpart have enjoyed close collaboration on a wide range of public health issues;

and

     WHEREAS, Taiwan has been eagerly, willing and voluntarily assisting financially and

technically in international health activities supported by the WHO, and donating generously to

disaster areas; and

     WHEREAS, In 2001, President Bush and senior members of his administration have

vocalized support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO; and

     WHEREAS, In 2002, the European Parliament called accordingly on the World Health

Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, to accept observer status for Taiwan and on its member states

to support the application of Taiwan as an observer to the World Health Organization; and

     WHEREAS, In 2002, the United States House of Representatives and Senate authorized

the Secretary of State to endorse observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly; in

2003, the United States House of Representatives passed HR 441 entitled “WHO for Taiwan” in

support of Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the WHO; now, therefore, be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby commends the Republic of China (Taiwan) on their myriad of contributions to promote

world health and supports their application as an observer to the World Health Organization; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Secretary

of Health and Human Services, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, the Director-General

of the World Health Organization, and the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural

Office in Boston.

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LC03029

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