Chairman Edward Hill
Secretary General Otmar Kloiber
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor for me to address you at this special event.

First of all, I would like to thank the WMA for its long-term support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO. The WMA agreed in 2001 to press for Taiwan’s observer status, and declared that the 23 million people of Taiwan should not be excluded from the world health community. Over the years, many friends from the WMA have helped us voice our opinions on the international stage. On behalf of all the people in Taiwan, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect for your unwavering support.

I would like to point out that the WMA plays a most important role in international health affairs. The organization has gathered the best medical practitioners from all its member countries. I urge the Taiwan Medical Association to actively participate in the WMA’s activities. I pledge that our government will also wholeheartedly support the WMA in spirit as well as in real contributions. By the way, Taiwan is also an active member of WONCA of which Professor Weel is the president. And we are also eager to join the IMPACT program of WHO to deal with illegal drug.

Taiwan would like every much to further expand its contributions to the world health. The WMA is particularly important in this sense, as we have much to learn from medical professionals with experience in international health affairs. I firmly believe that, in the future, Taiwan and the WMA will have many more opportunities for cooperation. I also believe that our friendship will only grow stronger and closer as we move forward.
Thank you.