House Concurrent Resolution 110

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN FOR ITS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROMOTING WORLD HEALTH, AND TO SUPPORT ITS BID TO OBTAIN OBSERVER STATUS IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AT THE ANNUAL SUMMIT OF THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY IN MAY 2004 IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

WHEREAS, the participation of health agencies in international collaborative forums is essential for promoting good health for all citizens throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, the global fight against the cross-border spread of infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis, depends on close coordination among health agencies and the timely sharing of health information; and

WHEREAS, Taiwan is a stable, prosperous democracy, with an advanced health care system that has demonstrated a proven ability to combat infectious diseases; and

WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Taiwan counterpart organizations have enjoyed a long history of fruitful collaboration; and

WHEREAS, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the only international organization solely dedicated to the promotion of global health; and

WHEREAS, under the ideas of medical treatment without boundaries and sympathy without boundaries, meaning that the basic rights of peace, freedom and health should not be limited by artificial boundaries, Taiwan's current exclusion from the WHO is fundamentally inconsistent with its objective for the "attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health":

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we commend the Republic of China on Taiwan for its many contributions to promoting world health, and we support its bid to obtain observer status in the World Health Organization at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson; Dr. Jong-wook Lee, Secretary General of WHO; Mr. Edward Feng, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston; and members of the Capitol Press Corps.