Resolving issue of Taiwan's WHA role shows mainland sincerity: official

BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland official said here Thursday that resolving the issue of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) showed sincerity and goodwill from the mainland.

A spokesman from the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office told Xinhua that allowing Taiwan's participation in the WHA indicated that the mainland attached great importance to the health of Taiwan people.

The spokesman said it also demonstrated sincerity in pushing forward the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

The Ministry of Health confirmed Wednesday that the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan had invited the Department of Health, Chinese Taipei, to attend, as an observer, the assembly that is scheduled from May 18 to 27.

The spokesman confirmed that the invitation had been accepted.

The WHA is the supreme decision-*** body for the WHO. It is usually attended by delegates from all 193 members each May in Geneva.

The spokesman said the mainland and Taiwan had recently exchanged views and consultation on Taiwan's participation in the WHA.

In 2005, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Taiwan's Kuomintang party released a joint document proposing to discuss Taiwan's participation in international activities after efforts to resume cross-Straits dialogue, in which Taiwan's involvement in WHO activities was a priority.

On Dec. 31, at a high-level seminar commemorating the 30th anniversary of the publication of the mainland's "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan," Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, offered proposals to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

Hu said the mainland was willing to discuss with Taiwan "proper and reasonable arrangements" for Taiwan's participation in the activities of international organizations, so long as such activities would not create any scenario of "two Chinas" or "one China and one Taiwan."

Cross-Straits relations had embraced a "hard-won" opportunity since last year, the spokesman said, adding: "The two sides have properly settled Taiwan's participation in the WHA through down-to-earth consultations in line with the spirit of building mutual trust, laying aside disputes, seeking consensus and shelving differences, and jointly creating a win-win situation."