By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterUS Senator Cory Gardner and six other Republican senators on Friday urged WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to grant Taiwan “observer” status in the global agency’s fight against the spread of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). “It is an unacceptable health hazard to the 23 million people of Taiwan to rely on a demonstrably unreliable PRC [People’s Republic of China] to receive information from the WHO. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Asia for both passengers and freight,” they wrote. “The hazards of relying on the PRC to facilitate a common understanding have regional implications, especially for Asian countries that lack Taiwan’s advanced healthcare system,” they wrote. The senators urged the WHO to “grant Taiwan observer status at WHO meetings and gatherings,” and provide “Taiwan with the information and assistance they need to deal with this latest outbreak” in the interim.

Source: Taipei Times February 01, 2020 15:56 UTC