In the News

Cross-strait talks agenda urged to include healthcare

• Publication Date：01/20/2010
• Source： China Times

Mainland China has called for the inclusion of medical-related issues in the agenda slated for the next rounds of cross-strait talks, according to high-ranking health officials from Beijing Jan. 19.

The issues include communicable diseases control, healthcare reforms, cooperation on traditional Chinese medicine development and the development of healthcare technology.

The request was made by Huang Jiefu, vice minister of the mainland’s Ministry of Health, who is currently leading a delegation of health officials and experts in Taiwan to attend a conference on cross-strait cooperation in preventing the spread of influenza A (H1N1).

During an earlier meeting with Taiwan’s minister of health, Yaung Chih-liang, Huang handed Yaung a letter, and brought up the request for inclusion of the medical topics during the fifth or sixth round of talks between Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation and the mainland’s Association of Relations Across the Taiwan Strait expected later this year.

The epidemic prevention conference, held in Taipei Jan. 19, was jointly sponsored by Taiwan’s Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry and mainland China’s Chinese Medical Association.

Huang attended the conference in his capacity as a consultant for the CMA. He said that Chen Yunlin, chairman of the ARATS, placed great importance on the conference.

Yaung, in summarizing the contents of the letter he received, said given the frequent visits and trade between the peoples of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, the mainland wishes to discuss matters such as the healthcare sector, disease notification and biotechnology during the next cross-strait meeting.

Yaung said whether the topics can be included is not clear at the moment. But even if they are not part of the formal agenda, “we will try our best to include them in informal discussions.”

Legislative Yuan President Wang Jyn-ping attended the influenza A prevention conference in his capacity as founder of the IBMI. Also in attendance, in their capacity as experts in their field, were Wong Chi-huey, president of Academia Sinica and main consultant for IBMI; Chen Wei-zhao, chairman of IBMI and former president of National Taiwan University; Yeh Ching-chuan, former DOH minister; Chang Shan-chwen, DOH deputy minister; and Steve Hsu-sung Kuo, director of the Centers for Disease Control. (HZW-SY).