The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has passed a draft resolution submitted by China which would downgrade Taiwan to a “non-sovereign member” status.

Below is an article written by Edwin Hsiao and published by the Taiwan Journal:

Under attack from China, Taiwan is fighting to prevent its membership status from being downgraded at the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), an intergovernmental organization founded in 1924.

The OIE Administrative Committee passed May 21 a draft resolution submitted by China in late April, which would downgrade Taiwan into a "non-sovereign member," Taiwan's Central News Agency reported May 22. That draft resolution would be sent to the 75th General Session of the International Committee, the world body's highest authority, convening in Paris May 20 to 25. It would be put to a vote May 25.

Contents of China's draft resolution, titled "Restoration of the exercise of the legal rights of the People's Republic of China to the World Organization for Animal Health," were unveiled by the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council in an attachment to a May 22 press release. The draft resolution stated:

"Recognizing that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China ... considering that there was no precedent in OIE to expel a member and considering the fact that OIE had members from non-sovereign regions ... the International Committee of the World Organization for Animal Health resolved to restore the legal rights of the People's Republic of China to OIE in its capacity of an OIE member and to invite Taiwan, China to participate in the activities of OIE as a non-sovereign member that can only be referred to as 'Taiwan, China' in all the activities, documents, publication, Web sites, etc. of OIE."

Using the reasoning that the OIE was a professional organization that had nothing to do with politics, Taiwan was trying to persuade its diplomatic allies and major countries around the world not to back down under China's pressure, David Y.L. Lin, director-general of Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press conference, CNA also reported May 22.

Lin noted that Taiwan was a formal member of the organization, and the OIE should, at the very least, follow a resolution passed in 2003 that invited Taiwan to adopt the name of "Separate Sanitary Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu." Taiwan would not accept other names aimed at belittling its status in the world body, Lin said, adding that the United States and Japan supported Taiwan's stance.

When the People's Republic of China acceded to the organization in 1992, Taiwan--which had joined in 1954 under the name of "Republic of China (Taiwan)" and actively participated in OIE work and contributed financially--took the name "Taipei China."

China was still not satisfied, Lin said, and, from that time on, had neither participated in the organization's work nor paid its contribution.

In order to resolve the dispute, the OIE adopted Resolution No. 18 in 2003, inviting Taipei China to adopt, within the Organization, the name of "Separate Sanitary Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu," while reaffirming that "adoption of the new name, which replaces the present name, will in no way affect the participation of Taipei China in the existing and future work of the Office, with the rights and prerogatives inherent in its status as Member of the OIE."

Lin said Taiwan had responded that it would accept the new name if China accepted it too, but the PRC did not vote for the resolution and refused to adopt it. The two countries therefore continued to use the names adopted in 1992.

The MAC urged the international community to pay attention to the situation and condemn China's use of political force to interfere in the field of international animal health.