The ECCT today issued a press release to reiterate its support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The press release was sent to all the chamber's media contacts in Taiwan. The text is as follows:

The European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) today reiterated its support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and urged national authorities, both in Europe and globally, to vote to grant Taiwan observer status in both organisations without delay.

While the chamber has consistently called for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations, the recent outbreak and spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from China to multiple countries abroad, including Taiwan, has made the call especially urgent. In a world where disease knows no borders and Taiwan has much to offer the world in enhancing global efforts to safeguard human health, Taiwan's exclusion from participation in WHO and World Health Assembly (WHA) activities leaves a serious gap in global efforts to address global health concerns. Participation in WHO and WHA meetings is necessary for Taiwan authorities to give and receive frequent and comprehensive briefings on global health matters while participation in ICAO is necessary to stay abreast of developments in international aviation, safety and security. Participation in both organisations is especially crucial during a global health crisis, such as 2019-nCoV, that is spread from person to person and is exacerbated by global air travel. In support of this position on behalf of the chamber, ECCT Chairman Giuseppe Izzo said: "Excluding Taiwan from the WHO and WHA deprives the people of Taiwan of access to essential global health information and resources and ignores the great potential contribution that Taiwan can make to the WHO given its excellent healthcare system and medical expertise. Keeping Taiwan out during an outbreak such as 2019-nCoV, which has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO, puts both the people of Taiwan and the world at risk and cannot be justified for any reason. Allowing Taiwan to participate in the WHO, WHA and ICAO will make sure that Taiwan does not remain a blind spot in the fight against the current 2019-nCoV outbreak and future global health crises".