Former Taiwan Vice President Chen Chien-jen mentioned Taiwan and India are necessary like-minded companions within the Indo-Pacific area and the previous’s well timed donation of medical provides to India within the time of want is a testomony of the shut ties. The Former Vice President added that extra provides from the nation will arrive in India within the coming weeks.
Highlighting the shut ties between the 2 nations, Chien-jen mentioned that Taiwan is dedicated to advancing its financial, commerce, and know-how cooperation with India. He additionally known as for International collaboration to finish Covid-19 and added WHO ought to keep its skilled and impartial place to contain participation of all stakeholders.
The former Taiwan Vice President additionally spoke on a spread of points together with China, battle in South China Sea and wider participation in WHO.
Here is the edited excerpt from the interview:
As an epidemiologist your self, what’s your studying of recent wave of the COVID-19 hitting the world and India fairly badly? How can we do higher?
India was going through the assault of numerous variants of concern particularly the variants from South Africa from UK and different nations. In Taiwan we even have the challenges of variants of concern. I feel in the meanwhile we’ve to watch out and take preventive programmes in opposition to the variants of concern. On behalf of all of the individuals in Taiwan, I wish to specific our sympathy and solidarity with our Indian pal. I feel that to do higher and comprise this outbreak, we are able to do a number of issues, first one is taking excellent care of the extreme instances within the hospital and isolation and to keep away from the an infection of well being care personnel. The delicate instances and asymptomatic instances may be requested to remain at dwelling and remoted from different members of the family to keep away from the transmission of virus to different members of the family. I feel that an excellent behavior of private hygiene is necessary. One of the methods we are able to treatment or every other nation can treatment is to extend the immunisation protection, extra quickly and extra extensively.
As the second wave is spreading throughout India, many nations and worldwide organizations have introduced that they may present tools and provides to assist India struggle fast COVID-19 surge. What is Taiwan’s plan of extending a serving to hand?
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has additionally expressed our willingness to supply help on this tough time. Taiwan’s first batch of medical provides of 150 oxygen concentrators and 500 oxygen cylinders arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, May 2, and is at the moment deployed in hospitals throughout India. More medical tools and provides are anticipated to be delivered to India within the coming weeks. Taiwan will proceed to supply pressing aid to India to struggle in opposition to the pandemic.
Taiwan and India are necessary like-minded companions within the Indo-Pacific area. Taiwan’s well timed donation of medical provides to India in its time of want is a testomony to our shut partnership and friendship. It additionally demonstrates our capability to supply sturdy humanitarian help and be part of world efforts in battling the pandemic.
Shouldn’t Taiwan have a spot on the WHO to air their views and issues?
WHO is a very powerful worldwide group concerning world well being points. To understand the imaginative and prescient of Universal Health Coverage enshrined in WHO Constitution, WHO ought to keep its skilled and impartial place to contain participation of all stakeholders.
The world pandemic of COVID-19 has reminded the world that infectious ailments know no borders. Taiwan is a transport hub for the Asia-Pacific area. In 2019, it dealt with 72 million inbound and outbound journeys. The frequency with which travellers arrive and depart Taiwan exhibits the extent to which Taiwan and different nations are uncovered to the menace of communicable ailments. It additionally highlighted the significance of Taiwan’s participation in WHO. However, Taiwan has been restricted from collaborating in WHO. It utilized to take part in 199 technical conferences between 2009 and 2020, however acquired invites solely to 69 for a excessive refusal price of 70 p.c. Furthermore, knowledge launched by WHO has inaccurately put Taiwan’s confirmed instances data beneath China’s, which is inconsistent with the truth that neither Taiwan nor China is a component of one another. This may be deceptive concerning the geographic data of the pandemic. Only the democratically elected authorities of Taiwan can symbolize Taiwan’s 23.5 million individuals at WHO, excluding Taiwan from WHO is infringing the elemental well being proper of 23.5 million Taiwanese individuals, and deconstructive for world efforts in pandemic containment.
Despite the interference from China stopping Taiwan’s effort to take part in WHO, Taiwan has been sharing its profitable pandemic-combating expertise “Taiwan Model” and medical provides with worldwide communities, which results in rising worldwide assist for Taiwan’s participation in WHO. So far this yr, leaders and high-level authorities officers of quite a few nations—together with Japan, Palau, Sweden, Canada and the United States—have publicly voiced their assist for Taiwan. Taiwan is optimistic to the long run for its worldwide participation. The basic proper to well being of 23.5 million Taiwanese individuals shouldn’t be dismissed.
No nation can struggle an epidemic alone. International collaboration is the one method to finish the pandemic. Only by inviting Taiwan to attend WHA as an observer, and systematically together with Taiwan’s participation to WHO technical conferences, mechanisms, and actions, can guarantee the worldwide well being system leaves nobody behind. Taiwan can be trying to its worldwide pals in all sectors to staunchly assist Taiwan’s participation within the world well being community and facilitate its additional contributions within the post-pandemic period.
Do you assume US assist for Taiwan is creating rigidity within the area with China vociferously against it?
Over the previous few months, China continuously despatched PLA fighter jets and ships to intimidate Taiwan and took extra assertive actions within the East and South China Seas. Such conduct has elevated the stress within the area, and have raised issues from the regional nations and the worldwide group. Taiwan is on the frontline in opposition to China’s aggression, and is beneath great political and army strain. Thus, it’s of utmost significance that we work with like-minded nations within the area to counter China’s threats.
Since taking workplace, the Biden Administration confirmed staunch assist for Taiwan by way of concrete actions, and reiterated that the U.S.’ dedication to Taiwan is rock-solid. These are important to sustaining the peace and stability within the Indo-Pacific area.
Facing China’s threats to Taiwan’s safety, we’ll proceed strengthening our capabilities on self-defense to guard Taiwan’s hard-earned democracy, freedom, peace, and stability. We may also deepen our cooperation with the U.S. and different like-minded nations to safeguard the rules-based worldwide order, and to advertise the peace, stability, and prosperity within the Indo-Pacific area.
Is it time for India and Taiwan to work collectively? Do you see any additional cooperation between India and Taiwan?
Our shared values proceed forming the bedrock of our shut bond and friendship. Taiwan is dedicated to advancing its financial, commerce, and know-how cooperation with India. The mutually helpful relationship between Taiwan and India is vital to prosperity within the Indo-Pacific area. Indeed, over the previous yr, we’ve acquired waves of assist in India from academia, social media, and opinion leaders calling for even stronger Taiwan-India relations. As we face direct and rising challenges to our democracy and safety, it’s in our pursuits to amplify our financial and safety cooperation to safeguard our valuable freedom and sovereignty.
The intensifying financial ties between Taiwan and India underpin the profound complementary nature of our two economies. Taiwan excels at {hardware} manufacturing whereas India’s prowess lies in software program growth. Against the backdrop of world and regional provide chain restructuring within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his dedication to not solely “Make in India” however “Make for the World.” In line with India’s initiatives and insurance policies, Taiwan hopes to additional strengthen its commerce and funding ties in addition to know-how cooperation with India. By doing so, we are able to work collectively to rebuild regional financial restoration from COVID-19.
Lastly, Taiwan and India have a shared imaginative and prescient for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific area. We are happy to see India’s dedication to strengthening its financial and strategic cooperation in regional structure, significantly its lively participation within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD). The advanced regional dynamics have underscored the imperativeness of multilateral coordination and collaborations among the many regional stakeholders. It is time for the like-minded nations within the Indo-Pacific area to debate a framework like QUAD beneath which we make sustained and concerted efforts to keep up the rules-based worldwide order. And we hope India can assist Taiwan to be included within the regional safety dialogue platform.
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