Chairman Ralf Scheller of the European Chamber of Commerce Taipei; Head of Office Mr. Guy Ledoux of the European Economic and Trade Office; Senior Government Officials; Esteemed Diplomats; Leaders of the Business Community; Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen:
Good Evening!
It is my great pleasure to once again have been invited to attend the Europe Day Dinner hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce Taipei. This Europe Day is particularly meaningful because this year marks the 50th anniversary of European integration. On behalf of the government and the 23 million people of Taiwan, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the 27 Member States and 493 million citizens of the European Union, and to wish Europe lasting peace, progress, and prosperity.
In 1849, French author Victor Hugo wrote, "A day will arrive where all nations of this continent, without giving up their particularities or their well-known individuality, will come together closely to a higher community...A day will arrive where there will be no other battlefields than the markets, which open for trade, and the spirit, which opens for ideas. A day will arrive where bullets and bombs will be replaced by ballot papers."
Although it took a century and two world wars for Hugo's vision to begin materializing, European integration--the grandest project in mankind's contemporary history--has been carried forward for over half a century now and continues to fire the souls of those who yearn for world peace.
We know that European integration is founded on the pursuit of four major objectives, namely peace, security, solidarity, and progress. It is respect for reason, knowledge, and humanistic values, however, that provides the European Union with the continued momentum to grow and prosper.
During its conference in Lisbon in March 2000, the European Council set a new development goal for the EU in the decade to come: "to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion." The Council emphasized that while small and medium-sized businesses form the backbone of the European economy, human resources are the most valuable assets that Europe possesses. It declared that the EU would be committed to the promotion of education, lifelong learning, multilingual proficiency, work skills, and technology.
The EU has also been dedicated to promoting a "Citizens' Europe," in which Europeans are not mere consumers or participants in economic and social affairs, but citizens of the EU with clearly defined basic rights. The Treaty of Amsterdam states, "Every person holding the nationality of a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Citizenship of the Union shall complement and not replace national citizenship." It also features a mechanism for canceling the membership of any EU country that violates its citizens' fundamental rights.
The EU's ultimate concern is the individual's welfare, brooking no discrimination by reason of nationality, race, or religion. Nevertheless, over the past half-century-plus, China's relentless oppression, combined with realpolitik in global affairs, has perpetuated international society's ostracism of Taiwan. We have been barred from participation in the activities of the United Nations and its agencies, including the World Health Organization. Such rejection has not only denied Taiwan's 23 million people their collective human rights but violated the EU's long-cherished principle of putting the individual first.
When East Germany applied to become a member of the WHO in 1968, the issue of whether it was a sovereign state immediately came under question. The then WHO director-general placed its application on the World Health Assembly's agenda, circulated the application document along with copies of the WHO Constitution and WHA Rules of Procedure among WHO members, and publicly stated that it was up to them to decide whether East Germany should be granted WHO membership. In 1972, the director-general acted in line with the WHA Rules of Procedure by inviting East Germany to be an observer to the WHA. At the 1973 WHA conference, WHO members approved East Germany's application for membership by acclamation.
Following past practice, on April 11, I sent a letter in my capacity as President to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, requesting to become a WHO member under the name "Taiwan." To our deep regret, however, the WHO Secretariat stated on April 25 that Taiwan is not a sovereign state and therefore is not eligible for WHO membership. The Secretariat also refused to take any further action regarding our application.
It is this sort of discriminatory treatment that Taiwan must deal with on the diplomatic front. The WHO Secretariat has no authority to rule on whether Taiwan is a sovereign state. The truth of the matter must be judged by all WHO members. Taiwan has no intention to challenge the WHO Constitution or WHA Rules of Procedure. We simply hope that the WHO Secretariat can process our application fairly and justly by putting it on the WHA agenda for discussion.
We deeply appreciate the European Union's solid support for Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization. With the WHA soon to convene, it is my earnest hope that EU delegates will also speak up for Taiwan at the Assembly and join hands with us to safeguard the collective health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan.
According to the Freedom of the Press 2007 survey published by US-based Freedom House this Tuesday, Taiwan ranked No. 33 among the 195 countries surveyed—up two notches over the previous year and counting as Asia's most media-friendly country. China, by contrast, dropped four places to 181st place and was listed as one of the world's least free countries for press freedom.
Despite this, under tremendous pressure from China, the United Nations Office in Geneva has for several years refused to issue press credentials to Taiwanese journalists to cover the WHA. Isn't it an incredible irony that journalists from the nation with Asia's freest press environment should be denied the freedom to report on the WHA?
The Association of European Journalists passed a resolution in 2005 supporting Taiwanese journalists' right to cover the WHA. On May 3 last year, which was World Press Freedom Day, the AEJ made a further statement highlighting the inappropriateness of the UN's rejection of Taiwanese reporters' right to cover WHO-related affairs and requesting that the European Parliament stand on the side of justice by urging the UN to stop discriminating against Taiwan's press. I, too, sincerely call upon EU countries to take notice of the unjust treatment Taiwan has been subject to in the international community.
We have a saying that goes, "Do not hesitate to do a good deed because it is trivial, and do not do an evil deed because it is negligible." There should be no double standard in the pursuit of justice. Condoning evil will only propagate evil.
The most significant heritage that Europeans has bequeathed to the world over the past century is their indomitable will to insist on and fight for justice in the face of authoritarian repression. I truly hope that as Taiwan and the EU continue to improve our substantive relations, the EU will extend more assistance to and support for Taiwan in international affairs so that, together, we can create a more secure, peaceful, and just world.
In closing, I would like to thank you again for your long-standing care and support for Taiwan and to wish you all the best of health and happiness. Happy Europe Day. Thank you!