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Taipei aims for WHO referendum
Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN Senior China Analyst
HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Taipei has reacted to its failed bid to gain observer status at the World Health Organization by planning an island-wide referendum on the subject. The Taiwan media on Wednesday quoted President Chen Shui-bian as saying he was seeking a consensus in Taiwan for holding a plebiscite on joining the WHO. While the results of the plebiscite will have no legal implications overseas, Chen's aides said this would serve to show the international community of Taiwan's determination to get into the world body. Despite the sympathetic attitude of countries including the U.S., Japan and various E.U. countries, Taiwan on Tuesday failed for the seventh time in a row to gain observer status on the world body, which is holding its 56th Assembly at Geneva. Senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politician Parris Chang, who is leading Taiwan's lobbying efforts at Geneva, told the local media Taiwan's exclusion from WHO had hampered efforts by the island to fight severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). On Tuesday, Taiwan registered 39 new SARS cases, more than comparable figures for either the mainland or Hong Kong. Because of Taipei's anger at Beijing's redoubled efforts this year to bar Taiwan from WHO, a number of radical DPP politicians have pushed a campaign not to buy products from the mainland. Last week, Taipei also stopped the so-called "mini three links" or direct shipping and business ties, between the outlying island of Quemoy and Fujian Province. Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi, who is attending the Geneva WHO conference, said since Taiwan is part of China and not an independent state, it cannot join the world body, not even as an observer. However, Wu, who is also Health Minister, said the mainland was willing to "extend to Taiwan all possible help" regarding the treatment of SARS. Beijing has agreed to let more WHO epidemic specialists go to Taiwan provided the experts work with physicians but not officials on the self-ruled island. Mainland authorities have also not opposed Taiwan medical experts taking part in international conferences to discuss the crisis over atypical pneumonia. Diplomatic sources in Beijing said Taipei's holding a plebiscite on the WHO issue would further strain cross-Straits ties. The sources said President Hu Jintao's administration was afraid the WHO plebiscite could be the forerunner to a referendum on whether Taiwan residents should seek independence from the mainland.
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