Taipei, June 20 (CNA) ROC President Chen Shui-bian called for the United Kingdom's support Thursday for Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization (WHO), saying that Taiwan's WHO membership is not only conducive to the interests of both nations, it will benefit all the people of the world.
Noting that medical and health affairs are borderless issues, Chen said it is Taiwan's right and obligation to make contributions in this field.
Chen said the European Union, the United States and Japan have expressed support in different ways for Taiwan's bid to become an observer at the World Health Assembly--the decision making body of the WHO. But regrettably, the U.K. has voiced its opposition over the past three years, he added.
Chen made the remarks when he met with delegates from the Commerce and Industry Committee of the U.K. House of Commons at the Presidential Office.
The U.K. delegates, including House of Commons members Ashok Kumar, Lindsay Hoyle and Robert Smith, were accompanied by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lan Chih-min and David Coates, director-general of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan during the audience.
Chen offered his felicitations to the 50th coronation anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and wished Prime Minister Tony Blair good luck after he presided over a personnel reshuffle of the Cabinet May 29.
The president said he is pleased that private, friendly ties between Taiwan and Britain have continued to be cemented with the two sides signing more bilateral accords, including an educational and cultural cooperation pact forged last September and an agreement on exempting double taxation in April this year.
To his delight, Chen said, Taiwan and British officials have met in recent months for a vice ministerial-level economic and trade conference and for official discussioins on business and trade exchanges between the two countries.
On cross-Taiwan Strait relations, Chen told the British visitors that since he assumed the presidency, he has had the previous "no haste, be patient" policy -- designed to curb increases of Taiwan investment in mainland China -- replaced by a new "active opening, effective management" approach to further improve cross-strait relations.
Taiwan will never shun talks about the opening of direct trade, postal and transportation links with mainland China -- better known as the "three links," Chen said, adding that Taiwan officials can return to the negotiating table at any minute so long as the talks are conducted under the principles that Taiwan is not localized or marginalized.
Meanwhile, he noted, although mainland China is part of the growing markets of the world, it is by no means Taiwan's only choice. Taiwan also invests elsewhere around the world, such as Southeast Asia, Britain and Europe, he added.
Two-way trade between Taiwan and Britain topped US$4.77 billion in 2001. The United Kingdom has the largest number of Taiwan investments, worth about 400 million pounds, in the entire U.K. and European area, while British investments in Taiwan total some US$2 billion.
More than 4,000 Taiwan students are seeking advanced education in Britain, while an average of 8,000 Taiwan youths travel to Britain every summer for short-term studies, the president said.