President Chen Shui-bian attended the founding ceremony of the Strategic Alliance for International Health Cooperation on the afternoon of February 14. In addition to citing the Mobile Medical Mission providing services for Tibet, he also delivered a speech.
The Strategic Alliance for International Health Cooperation was co-founded by Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), the 27 medical institutions of the Nongovernmental Hospitals and Clinics Association (NHCA) and the College of Medicine of Chang Kung University. Through the strategic alliance, Taiwan's international participation and visibility will surely be strengthened, the president said.
Taiwan first provided the world with its overseas medical missions in1962, in which six medical doctors were sent to Libya to assist and to improve its medical technology and restructure its medical organization in the military. Currently, Taiwan has several medical missions doing international relief work in African countries. "Due to our advanced medical technology and enthusiasm, Taiwan is confident of playing a key role in international health," said the president.
At the same time, the president showed his concern about newly emerging infectious diseases, particularly over avian flu. The People's Republic of China, a hot zone for the avian flu epidemic, is without question threatening Taiwan and Hong Kong owing to heavy traffic between these places. "China as a 'black hole' in disease prevention has incessantly blocked Taiwan's participation in international health organizations," said the president, referring to the fact that Taiwan's bid for entry has been rejected nine times by the World Health Organization under China's threats. However, "we will never give up playing a part in international health affairs," the president firmly assured.
Adhering to the principles of "multi-track diplomacy, international cooperation and reciprocal prosperity," Taiwan's diplomatic relations will be further strengthened, the president said with confidence. In conclusion, the president wished the strategic alliance a success and everyone a happy valentine.