U.S. House passes amendment on support for Taiwan at WHO

Washington, Sept. 12 (CNA) The United States House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation giving the Senate the power to approve World Health Organization (WHO) agreements, which also included an amendment supporting Taiwan's full participation at the WHO.

The No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act, which ensures that any pandemic-related convention of the WHO that attempts to bind the U.S. must be ratified by the Senate as a treaty, cleared the legislative floor by a bipartisan vote of 219-199.

According to the bill's backers, the Act was introduced by Republican Representative Tom Tiffany to limit the WHO's influence after the body received strong criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and close ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Also included in the bill is an amendment proposed by Republican lawmaker Andy Ogles that offers a statement of U.S. policy in support of "Taiwan's full participation at the WHO."

Ogle's amendment passed with a unanimous vote of 403-0, with 34 abstentions.

Addressing the House floor, Ogles said "for far too long, we [U.S.] have allowed communist China to dictate the course of U.S. foreign policy, as well as the agenda and membership of every major international organization, including the United Nations."

"Decades upon decades of giving in to China has left Taiwan with fewer and fewer allies. In the late 1990s, over 30 countries recognized Taiwan. Now the number is down to 12."

Citing China's continuing pressure campaign against Taiwan, the lawmaker said no one listened when the latter tried to "warn the WHO of possible human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus on Dec. 31, 2019," adding that the world health body subsequently released a statement saying there was no clear evidence of such a thing.

Due to this, the U.S. lost weeks of preparation against the "ravaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic," all because "communist China told the world that under no circumstance could Taiwan be given a seat at the table" at the WHO, Ogles said.

His amendment in support of Taiwan was also echoed by Democratic House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, who described the country as a U.S. ally, "a democracy and a critical part of the international community."

However, Meeks was more reserved about Taiwan's full participation at the WHO.

"I agree with Mr. Ogle's amendment, but I do think, however, that we should be precise and careful in how we talk about important policy matters," he explained, adding that "Taiwan should be contributing its expertise and participating as an observer in the World Health Assembly," as in line with the U.S.' "One China" policy.

Since Sept. 9, the U.S. House passed several pro-Taiwan friendly bills, including the Pacific Partnership Act, which aims to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan and the Pacific Islands Forum.