For Immediate Release
Washington DC – March 8, 2019
Contact: (202) 547-3686
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TED YOHO URGES HHS SECRETARY AZAR TO ATTEND GTCF MEETING IN TAIPEI
In a letter dated March 8, former chairman of the House Asian Subcommittee Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) urged Secretary of Health and Human Services Alec Azar to attend the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) to be held in Taipei from April 30 to May 3.
The GCTF is a joint effort between the U.S. and Taiwan to bring together officials and experts from across the Indo-Pacific to share best practices in areas such as public health and humanitarian assistance.
The Congressman writes: “Since 1996, Taiwan has invested over $6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts impacting over 80 countries… Nevertheless, Taiwan has been continually excluded from participation in international bodies that address global health initiatives, particularly in the World Health Organization (WHO), at the behest of China.”
The Congressman adds: “I ask for your help in advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the 2019 World Health Assembly meeting. Diseases know no borders, and Taiwan’s needless exclusion from global health cooperation increases the dangers presented by global pandemics.”
The Congressman concludes: “I urge you to attend the upcoming GCTF meeting to support U.S.-Taiwan global health initiatives. Through this joint effort we can bring achievable health practices to the Indo-Pacific.”
FAPA President Mike Kuo states: “Combining the enactment into law of the Taiwan Travel Act which lifts all restrictions on high-level visits from and to Taiwan in March 2018 with Taiwan’s long-time bids to join the World Health Organization, HHS Secretary Azar traveling to Taipei is only a next logical step.”
美國眾議員約霍敦促美國衛生及公共服務部部長阿扎（AZAR）參加在台北舉辦的「全球合作暨訓練架構」會議
在三月八日的一封信中，前眾議院亞太小組主席約霍（Ted Yoho, R-FL）敦促美國衛生及公共服務部部長阿扎（AZAR）參加四月三十至五月三日在台北舉辦的「全球合作訓練架構」（Global Cooperation and Training Framework, GCTF）會議。
「全球合作暨訓練架構」是一個美台共同合作的項目，目的在聚集印太地區的官員與專家，分享在公共衛生與人道救援議題上的實務經驗。
約霍眾議員寫道：「從1996年開始，台灣已經投資超過六十億美金在國際醫療與人道援助上，影響超過八十個國家⋯⋯然而，在中國的干預之下，台灣一直被排除在全球衛生相關的組織外，特別是世界衛生組織（WHO）。」
他並補充：「我呼籲您參與即將舉行的GCTF會議以支持美台在世界衛生議題上的關係。透過這樣的共同努力我們可以為印太地區帶來更多公衛相關的成果。」
台灣人公共事務會會長郭正光表示：「考慮到2018年三月通過的台灣旅行法已經解除所有（美國）高層訪問台灣的限制，以及台灣長期為了加入世界衛生組織的努力，對美國而言，衛生及公共服務部部長阿扎出訪台北是非常合理的政策。」
