方恩格專欄》是時候對WHO說：謝謝，再聯絡

今年世界衛生大會（WHA）將於5月19日在瑞士日內瓦登場，臺灣至今尚未收到邀請函。（圖：Shutterstock）

每年大約此時，筆者總會撰寫評論，探討臺灣無法參與世界衛生大會（WHA）的困境。今年，第78屆世界衛生大會將於2025年5月19日至27日在瑞士日內瓦舉行，主題爲「One World for Health」（一個爲健康而團結的世界）。當然，臺灣依舊無法出席，原因不外乎是中國長期向世界衛生組織（WHO）施壓，將臺灣擋於門外，只因臺灣政府拒絕接受所謂的「九二共識」。

如同往年，世界各國將再次表態支持臺灣「有意義地參與」WHA與WHO。來自西歐、澳洲、加拿大、日本等友臺國家的外交部發言人，和美國國務院，也可能再次發表類似聲明。當然，類似的期望，在過去幾年也有跡可循。例如，在新冠肺炎疫情間，「Let Taiwan Help」與「Taiwan Can Help」等標語便在社羣媒體上蔓延，以支持臺灣參與世界衛生大會。

如同往年一般，衛福部長仍將飛往日內瓦，在大會場邊進行「場邊外交」活動，與各國友人會晤，並和友臺國家的官員握手、微笑、合影並聽對方說：「真可惜臺灣無法參加。」這一幕年年重演，筆者形容爲「臺灣的年度討拍團」和「取暖派對」。

然而，今年是否有什麼不同？事實上，有幾點不同之處，確實值得一提。

一、新任美國總統：今年最大的改變，從2025年1月20日美國新總統川普正式上任開始。而他「新官上任三把火」的動作之一，便是宣佈美國將退出WHO，預計2026年1月22日生效（給予一年通知期）。最近，美國國務院發言人仍對中央社表示「美國將持續推動臺灣有意義地參與WHO」，即便美國將退出該組織。此般支持是無用的，只因美國的退出，將會對今年大會的決議毫無影響。筆者曾指出，若美國退出WHO，臺灣應該希望美方籌組一個由民主國家參與的另類多邊衛生組織，並邀請臺灣成爲會員。川普是否有此意，讓時間告訴我們。

二、新任臺灣總統賴清德：今年的世界衛生大會，臺灣則有新任總統賴清德。雖然賴清德是去年5月20日就任，但2024年的WHA行動計劃，仍由蔡英文政府與時任外交部長吳釗燮制定。不幸地，關於今年的世界衛生大會，賴政府似乎仍沿用舊策略，結果可預期：國際社會同情有餘、實質參與仍舊無望。對於中國對臺的行動，賴清德的立場強硬。也許，賴清德該改變臺灣的策略，思考是否要對WHO說：「我們不再熱臉貼冷屁股，直到你們有事相求。」

三、新任外交部長林佳龍：自去年5月賴政府上任後，林佳龍接任外交部長。前任部長吳釗燮自2018年至2024年負責WHA事務7年，結果年年相同。今年，林佳龍原有機會調整策略，特別是美國退出WHO的情況下，但他選擇延續前任做法。林佳龍本有機會讓世界知道，在他的領導下，外交部不會再重蹈覆轍，只可惜他錯此良機。

四、缺乏全球衛生緊急狀況：目前，並無類似COVID-19的全球公共衛生危機。雖然迦薩、緬甸、蘇丹等地發生人道災難，美國亦面臨麻疹疫情，但解決這些問題無需臺灣的參與。在重要會員國中，縱使有些對臺友善，也難以將「讓臺灣出席」視爲當務之急。「Taiwan Can Help」的說法，在此時並無太大說服力。臺灣在新冠疫情時期即無法得到足夠的國際支持參與世界衛生大會，那遑論在無全球緊急公衛事件的情況下。

五、各國可能需要中國：過去幾年，不管在世界衛生大會還是其他多邊組織，或者是和中國的雙邊互動，中國因COVID-19源頭、戰狼外交、對香港新疆及西藏政策，和近期的產能過剩、低價產品氾濫全球等因素，國際形象受損。然而，隨着川普宣佈對中國商品加徵關稅（暫緩90天），各國開始重新評估與中國的關係。例如，歐盟近期宣佈將有多位領導人於7月訪中，慶祝中歐建交50週年。

另一個例子便是梵蒂岡拒絕賴清德出席教宗葬禮。明顯地，此舉源於梵蒂岡對中國的顧忌，和它對中梵關係的影響。是否如此，讓我們在本月下旬看看賴清德是否有辦法出席新任教宗的就任典禮。顯然，各國在現階段都不願輕易觸怒中國。

筆者多次批評臺灣年年上演「WHA討拍團」，並呼籲臺灣政府改變策略。至今，無論是蔡政府還是賴政府，都選擇一再挫敗。現在，臺灣也許是時候對WHO說聲：「謝謝，再聯絡。」

（作者爲美國共和黨前亞太區主席，鍾文妤翻譯）

Another Taiwan Pity Party at the World Health Assembly

By Ross Darrell Feingold

Former Asia Chairman, Republicans Abroad

X: @RossFeingold

Each year around this time, this author writes a commentary about Taiwan’s fruitless efforts participate in the annual World Health Assembly meeting, for which the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly will be held in Geneva, Switzerland on 19–27 May 2025. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is: One World for Health. Of course, Taiwan is omitted from the World Health Assembly meetings, because China uses its influence in the World Health Organization to prevent Taiwan’s participation as long as the Taiwan government refuses to recognize the “1992 Consensus”.

For sure, this year various countries around the world will make statements to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Assembly and other activities of the World Health Organization. Foreign ministry spokespersons from Taiwan-friendly countries in Western Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan, along with the United States State Department, are likely to make such statements yet again. In addition, Taiwan-friendly members of parliaments around the world will also issue such statements supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Assembly and World Health Organization.

Of course, such hopes were high in past years too, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hashtags #LetTaiwanHelp and #TaiwanCanHelp will once again spread on social media in support of Taiwan’s hope to participate in the World Health Assembly.

Similar to past years, Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare will fly to Geneva, and will hold “meet and greet” events on the sidelines of the main World Health Assembly meetings. Health ministers from Taiwan-friendly countries will come to meet Taiwan’s health minister, shake his hand, smile and take photos, and tell him how it’s too bad that Taiwan cannot participate in the World Health Assembly.

This is the annual display of pity for Taiwan, which this author calls Taiwan’s “pity party”.

So is anything different this year versus past years? In fact, several differences are worth noting.

1. New United States President: The most significant difference this year is that starting from January 20, 2025, a new United State president took office. One of President Donald Trump’s very first moves after he became president was to announce that the United States will withdraw from the World Health Organization, which will come into effect on January 22, 2026 after a one year notice period. Recently, a United States State Department spokesman told Taiwan’s Central News Agency that “The United States will continue to push for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Organization”, even though the United States is leaving the organization. This support for Taiwan is useless, as the United States, participating in the World Health Assembly for the final time, will have no influence on what decisions are made at this year’s meeting.

This author has previously written that if the United States withdraws from the World Health Organization, Taiwan should hope that the United States establishes an alternative multilateral health organization, which would include only democratic countries and which the United States and other participating countries would welcome Taiwan’s participation. Time will tell whether President Trump pursues such an initiative.

2. New Taiwan President: For this year’s World Health Assembly, Taiwan has a new president, William Lai. Although Lai took office last May 20, days before the 2024 World Health Assembly meeting, Taiwan’s action plan was made by the outgoing government of President Tsai Ing-wen and the then-Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu.

Unfortunately, for the World Health Assembly this year, President Lai appears to have approved repeating the same action plan as the Tsai Administration. This action plan is certain to bring only the same result, global pity for Taiwan, but no meaningful participation in the World Health Assembly or World Health Organization.

When it comes to China’s actions towards Taiwan, the Lai Administration can be very direct in its criticism. Perhaps President Lai should change Taiwan’s strategy, and tell the World Health Organization that Taiwan has no interest in participating until the World Health Organization comes begging for Taiwan’s participation?

3. New Taiwan Foreign Minister: With the beginning of the Lai Administration last May 20, a new Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-lung, took office. Former Foreign Minister Joseph Wu oversaw the Taiwan action plan for the World Health Assembly from 2018 to 2024 (seven World Health Assembly meetings), with the same result each year. Foreign Minister Lin had an opportunity to advise President Lai that Taiwan can try something different this year (especially with the United States leaving the World Health Organization), but Foreign Minister Lin chose to repeat a similar action plan as years past.

Foreign Minister Lin had an opportunity to let the world know that under his leadership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs won’t simply repeat the same policies as years past. Unfortunately, Foreign Minister Lin did not take advantage of that opportunity.

4. No Global Health Emergency: At present, there is no global health emergency similar to COVID-19. There are humanitarian disasters in Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, and other places, and the United States has a measles epidemic. However, fixing these situations does not require the participation of Taiwan. Thus, important countries, even if they are friendly to Taiwan, do not feel that Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Assembly is crucial. Taiwan’s claim that “#TaiwanCanHelp” is simply not persuasive at present. If, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan could not attract sufficient international support to participate in the World Health Assembly, it’s less likely that Taiwan could build such support when there is no global health emergency.

5. Countries Might Need China: In recent years, whether at the World Health Assembly, other multilateral organizations, or in bilateral engagement with China, China’s image had become negative for a variety of reasons. This includes the COVID-19 pandemic starting in China, China’s so-called “wolf warrior” diplomacy, concerns about China’s policies in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet, and more recently, concerns about China’s industrial overcapacity and China’s factories selling cheap goods worldwide.

However, following President Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs (paused for ninety days), countries around the world are re-evaluating their relationship with China. One recent example of this was the European Union’s recent announcement that several country leaders from European Union countries will visit China in July to celebrate fifty years of European Union – China relations.

Another recent example was the Holy See’s refusal to allow President Lai to attend Pope Francis’ funeral. Obviously, this was out of the Holy See’s concern for China’s anger and how it might affect relations between the Holy See and China (we’ll see if President Lai is able to attend the new Pope’s inaugural mass later this month).

Regardless, in the present moment, many countries are unwilling to take actions that might anger China.

This author has repeatedly criticized Taiwan’s annual “pity party” at the World Health Assembly, and suggested that Taiwan’s government try a different approach. So far, the Tsai Administration and Lai Administration have repeatedly tried the same approach, with failure.

Surely it is time that Taiwan tells the World Health Organization “thank you, but no thank you”.