Utah Senate urges U.S. support for Taiwan's participation in U.N. specialized agencies

The Utah Senate on Feb. 18 passed a joint resolution urging federal support for Taiwan's participation in specialized agencies of the United Nations, including the World Health Organization.

The resolution sponsor said Taiwan's exclusion from technical U.N. agencies impedes global public-health information-sharing and can create gaps in epidemic surveillance. The body adopted a typographical amendment that changed an incorrect reference to "United States" to "United Nations," and approved the resolution under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Chen, a representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan), addressed the Senate in a Committee of the Whole after the resolution's passage. He thanked lawmakers for a decades-long sister-city relationship and urged support for Taiwan's observer status at the World Health Assembly so the island can receive and share disease-prevention updates. "Taiwan has all the qualifications to be included in the World Health family for the sake of everybody's health," Mr. Chen said.

Clerk announcements recorded the final roll-call: SJR5 passed the Senate with 25 yes votes, 0 no votes and 2 absent and was referred to the Utah House for further action.

The resolution asks that copies be sent to the U.S. President, the U.S. Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, congressional leaders, Utah's congressional delegation, and the governments of Taiwan and the World Health Organization. The chamber also presented the delegation with a small token of appreciation.

The Committee of the Whole recognition of the delegation concluded without further formal action; SJR5 will proceed to the House for consideration.