由國際法論析中共反對台灣參予WHO

Abstract

台灣基於人道精神、維護全民應享權益、積極參與國際交流、獲得國際社會公平待遇、提升國內醫療衛生品質、並為協助推展世界衛生保健等考量，於一九九七年開始推動以觀察員身份參與「世界衛生組織」(World Health organization, WHO)的工作。經過七年多持續的努力，儘管國際社會的成員及民間醫療團體與衛生組織已逐漸瞭解到台灣爭取參與WHO之正面意義，並給予支持，但台灣仍無法順利跨入此聯合國專門機構的大門。台灣無法出席世界衛生大會(World Health Assembly WHA)，未能參與WHO相關活動，主要障礙在於中共全力的阻撓。中共官方認為，台灣申請以觀察員身份參與WHO是要在此組織內製造「兩個中國」或「一中一台」，侵犯中國的主權和領土的完整，違背聯合國憲章宗旨和原則，違背世界衛生大會有關決議的行為。中共也指出WHO是由主權國家參加的聯合國專門機構，台灣作為中國的一省，沒有資格成為成員或觀察員。本文主要目的係由國際法觀點評析歷年來中共反對台灣參與WHO的官方說法。作者在結論指出：中共官方所採立場是有國際法上的爭議存在，不但可以被質疑，也可以被挑戰。

Over the past seven years, Taiwan has actively pursued an observer status in the World Health Organization (WHO) for the purpose of contributing its own resources to the organization, joining the multilateral global health effort, and enhancing the health security of its own people. The People`s Republic of China (PRC) has been in opposition to such a bid, stating that (1) Taiwan`s participation in the WHO violates China`s sovereignty; (2) Taiwan is not a state and thus under the WHO Charter, is not eligible to apply for membership in the organization; (3) there is no precedent for Taiwan to participate in the WHO as a ”health entity” or observer; and (4) there is no need for Taiwan to participate in the WHO. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, from an international law perspective, why inviting Taiwan to participate as an observer in the World Health Assembly (WHA) is congruent with the laws, interests, and practice not only of the WHO (and its members), but also of other international bodies as well. This paper concludes that the legal grounds cited by the PRC to reject Taiwan`s bid for an observer in the WHO are subject to challenge and should be re-considered.