Taiwan Speaks out at Speakers’ Corner (Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.)

Taiwan Speaks out at Speakers’ Corner (Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.)

On the 20th of April 2008 large crowds of Taiwanese and British passers by assembled in Hyde Park’s Speakers’ Corner in London to promote Taiwan’s entry into the World Health Organisation. Speeches were given and leaflets distributed calling on people all across the UK to express their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO.

Co-chairman of the UK-Taiwan all Party Parliamentary Group, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, accompanied by Representative Siao-Yue Chang of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, spoke out for Taiwan at this British landmark of free speech and democracy. Lord Faulkner spoke of the injustice of Taiwan’s exclusion, saying that Taiwan should have become a member of the WHO long ago, and that he would not cease speaking out for the people of Taiwan until this goal was achieved. He also called on the British Government to abandon its outdated acknowledgement of the One China Policy and to support Taiwan’s entry into international organisations such as the WHO and UN.

Honorary leaders of the Taiwanese Compatriot Community, Sherman Lai, Frank Lei Edward Lee, and ex-commissioner of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission, Mr Q C Huang all spoke on the necessity and legitimacy of Taiwan’s membership of the WHO. The speakers were well received by their international audience and responded well to various questions on why Taiwan was subject to this exclusion. In addition to the speeches a group of young Taiwanese students chose to express themselves through Taiwanese Folk songs such as ‘Hope for Spring Wind’ and Rain’ on ‘Night Time Flowers’, all of which were met with waves of applause. Volunteers gathered over 380 signatures for a petition in support of Taiwan’s entry into the WHO, furthering raising the publicity of this pressing cause among an international audience.

Article Source: http://who.mofa.gov.tw/news_cp20.asp