Remarks by Vice President Chen Chien-Jen at the Opening Ceremony of the Global Cooperation & Training Framework (GCTF) - International Workshop on the Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
April 30, 2019
Dr. Price,
Director Christensen,
Deputy Representative Nishiumi,
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning!
On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to extend my warmest welcome to the distinguished speakers and participants, and to thank you all for joining in the collective efforts to advance public health for the well-being of the Indo-Pacific region. Also, let me take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association for making this important event happen.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that the whole world has been fighting painstakingly for years. I had spent most of my academic and civil service career in the field of Epidemiology before becoming Vice President. Therefore, to give remarks at today’s opening ceremony and to witness Taiwan’s dedication and contribution to the regional epidemic prevention networking are not only very honorable, but also very meaningful to me.
Last year, the United Nations held a high-level meeting on the fight against TB for the first time. “Ending TB” has been added to the provisional agenda of the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) this upcoming May. This two examples have manifested the urgency to eradicate this disease. Taiwan, as a capable and dutiful player in the international society, is ready to step up and share our expertise and experience in epidemic prevention, with a view to helping the region scale up its capacity and to achieving the greater good of humanity.
Again, welcome you all to Taiwan for the four-day GCTF workshop. This workshop is designed as a platform where experts from the regional nations can share knowledge indiscriminately, exchange information timely, and establish networks across borders. Based on this platform, I hope Taiwan, the US, Japan and other like-minded nations will be motivated for further cooperation to safeguard the health of our people and promote prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
In closing, I wish the workshop a great success, and hope you all have an amazing one.
Thank you!
