6 ms·

Taiwan says WHO failed to act on coronavirus transmission warning

m0zg 7y ago
Because WHO is effectively owned by the Chinese, Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. In fact, WHO doesn't even recognize _the existence_ of Taiwan. Take a look at this right here Orwellian bullshit: https://twitter.com/wilfredchan/status/1243887606569590784 https://twitter.com/wilfredchan/status/1243887606569590784. Isn't it wonderful when China has you by the balls?
- BoiledCabbage 7y ago
  This is incredible, and shows how much China has now pushed over the WHO. I'm almost certain Chinese pressure on the WHO also influenced a lot of their statements.
- siv- 7y ago
  The WHO is under the UN, which recognises the PRC as the "real China". How much of this is the UN's fault vs one of its agencies?
  - xiphias2 7y ago
    Maybe you're right, but it's completely infiltatred by China. ,,Tedros overlooked the Chinese government's early attempts to suppress information but offered "effusive praise" for its containment efforts instead'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedros_Adhanom#Head_of_the_Tigray_Regional_Health_Bureau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedros_Adhanom#Head_of_the_Tig...
- xiphias2 7y ago
  Wow. I'm really sorry that you're voted down (me too), and really thanks for the link at the same time.
  - dang 7y ago
    The comment was correctly downvoted because it broke several of the site guidelines, such as: "Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive." That means keeping the facts and dropping the name-calling and flamebait. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html Would you mind reviewing them as well? Note this one at the end: Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.
    - hodgesrm 7y ago
      Thanks dang. Moderation on HN keeps it an island of sanity. Really appreciate the job you are doing.
enitihas 7y ago
Is the WHO even relevant? The WHO is not a sovereign authority, and has proven to not be independent too. They have been lying the entire time. Their statements 1. No evidence of human to human transmission 2. No need to ban travel from China. Ineffective 3. It is not a pandemic 4. Some twitter threads who WHO adding traditional chinese medicine in their list of medicines for COVID-19 in their chinese language posts. 5. Masks do not work. If the WHO can't be independent, can't say things truly, and they never had any sovereign authority to begin with, what good exactly are they?
- haltingproblem 7y ago
  The WHO is relevant because every national, state and local medical authority and doctor has been trained and conditioned to trust them over the past decades. Even now you will find, infectious disease doctors citing WHO guidance in articles and on twitter. There is a level of faith in WHO which seems no longer warranted.
- siv- 7y ago
  Could you provide links for those statements?
  - artwr 7y ago
    1. https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152 https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152 2. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-idUSKBN1ZX1H3 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-idUSKBN1... 3. https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/health/who-coronavirus-not-pandemic/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/health/who-coronavirus-not-pa... Can't comment on 4. 5. it's a little bit complicated as I believe they are just not recommending masks unless you are sick or caring for the sick.
    - LatteLazy 7y ago
      1 is a Chinese statement, who are just re-reporting...
    - 7y ago
haltingproblem 7y ago
I am neither Taiwanese or Chinese and have no dog in that fight except as it pertains to avoiding pandemics. Taiwanese friends tell me that during the SARS outbreak, China refused to share data with them which it shared with every other country. Taiwan was hit very hard because they were flying blind. This led them to establish independent monitoring and early warning systems since they have extensive trade and cultural links with China and large numbers of travelers. The current VP of Taiwan is an epidemiologist who was the health minister during the SARs outbreak and their current response has been one of the most effective (108 cases, 1 death). Every country would want to work with Taiwan on this issue not ostracize them like the WHO. They are like a monitoring and early-warning system for these kinds of pathogens coming out of China.
- NicoJuicy 7y ago
  Since China didn't share that information with Taiwan, i'd believe it's not the same country and they proved it by behaving like this. And all sources that put Taiwan as a province of China should change it. ( Won't happen though)
  - hker 7y ago
    Probably relevant, about how others should treat Taiwan, especially how WHO is treating Taiwan: A journalist asked World Health Organization’s assistant director-general Bruce Aylward whether the UN body would reconsider Taiwan’s membership, got “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear your question… let’s move to another one then…”; and when the journalist asked to comment on Taiwan’s effort, got “we’ve already talked about China.” [1]: https://twitter.com/emilyrauhala/status/1243905923048976384 https://twitter.com/emilyrauhala/status/1243905923048976384 (Which is supporting your “Won't happen though”.)
    - kalleboo 7y ago
      After that interview, Bruce Aylward has now been removed from the WHO website https://twitter.com/anangbhai/status/1243947028582993921 https://twitter.com/anangbhai/status/1243947028582993921
robocat 7y ago
No paywall: http://archive.md/cQl0E http://archive.md/cQl0E Aside: perhaps FT could chip in with the rest of the world here by making any of their articles about coronavirus open access... Edit: curious about downvotes - it’s my first time circumventing a paywall. Disclaimer: I would describe myself as a capitalist hippie.
neonate 7y ago
https://archive.md/cQl0E https://archive.md/cQl0E
mensetmanusman 7y ago
That’s because they were busy praising China for getting so efficient at oppressing their population.
Proven 7y ago
I don't know of any multi-government organization that delivers good value for money. WHO is but one example. Screw them.
haltingproblem 7y ago
TIL: The head of the WHO, "Dr" Tedros is not a medical doctor but has a Ph.D. in health. He was previously the health minister of Ethiopia and China was instrumental in getting him elected. Fun fact: He tried to get Robert Mugabe elected as a goodwill ambassador for the WHO. Source: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-helped-put-man-charge-world-health-organization%E2%80%94-it-paying-136002 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-helped-put-man-...

m0zg 7y ago

Because WHO is effectively owned by the Chinese, Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. In fact, WHO doesn't even recognize _the existence_ of Taiwan. Take a look at this right here Orwellian bullshit: https://twitter.com/wilfredchan/status/1243887606569590784 https://twitter.com/wilfredchan/status/1243887606569590784. Isn't it wonderful when China has you by the balls?

BoiledCabbage 7y ago
This is incredible, and shows how much China has now pushed over the WHO. I'm almost certain Chinese pressure on the WHO also influenced a lot of their statements.
siv- 7y ago
The WHO is under the UN, which recognises the PRC as the "real China". How much of this is the UN's fault vs one of its agencies?
- xiphias2 7y ago
  Maybe you're right, but it's completely infiltatred by China. ,,Tedros overlooked the Chinese government's early attempts to suppress information but offered "effusive praise" for its containment efforts instead'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedros_Adhanom#Head_of_the_Tigray_Regional_Health_Bureau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedros_Adhanom#Head_of_the_Tig...
xiphias2 7y ago
Wow. I'm really sorry that you're voted down (me too), and really thanks for the link at the same time.
- dang 7y ago
  The comment was correctly downvoted because it broke several of the site guidelines, such as: "Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive." That means keeping the facts and dropping the name-calling and flamebait. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html Would you mind reviewing them as well? Note this one at the end: Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.
  - hodgesrm 7y ago
    Thanks dang. Moderation on HN keeps it an island of sanity. Really appreciate the job you are doing.

enitihas 7y ago

Is the WHO even relevant? The WHO is not a sovereign authority, and has proven to not be independent too. They have been lying the entire time. Their statements 1. No evidence of human to human transmission 2. No need to ban travel from China. Ineffective 3. It is not a pandemic 4. Some twitter threads who WHO adding traditional chinese medicine in their list of medicines for COVID-19 in their chinese language posts. 5. Masks do not work. If the WHO can't be independent, can't say things truly, and they never had any sovereign authority to begin with, what good exactly are they?

haltingproblem 7y ago
The WHO is relevant because every national, state and local medical authority and doctor has been trained and conditioned to trust them over the past decades. Even now you will find, infectious disease doctors citing WHO guidance in articles and on twitter. There is a level of faith in WHO which seems no longer warranted.
siv- 7y ago
Could you provide links for those statements?
- artwr 7y ago
  1. https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152 https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152 2. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-idUSKBN1ZX1H3 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-idUSKBN1... 3. https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/health/who-coronavirus-not-pandemic/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/health/who-coronavirus-not-pa... Can't comment on 4. 5. it's a little bit complicated as I believe they are just not recommending masks unless you are sick or caring for the sick.
  - LatteLazy 7y ago
    1 is a Chinese statement, who are just re-reporting...
  - 7y ago

haltingproblem 7y ago

I am neither Taiwanese or Chinese and have no dog in that fight except as it pertains to avoiding pandemics. Taiwanese friends tell me that during the SARS outbreak, China refused to share data with them which it shared with every other country. Taiwan was hit very hard because they were flying blind. This led them to establish independent monitoring and early warning systems since they have extensive trade and cultural links with China and large numbers of travelers. The current VP of Taiwan is an epidemiologist who was the health minister during the SARs outbreak and their current response has been one of the most effective (108 cases, 1 death). Every country would want to work with Taiwan on this issue not ostracize them like the WHO. They are like a monitoring and early-warning system for these kinds of pathogens coming out of China.

NicoJuicy 7y ago
Since China didn't share that information with Taiwan, i'd believe it's not the same country and they proved it by behaving like this. And all sources that put Taiwan as a province of China should change it. ( Won't happen though)
- hker 7y ago
  Probably relevant, about how others should treat Taiwan, especially how WHO is treating Taiwan: A journalist asked World Health Organization’s assistant director-general Bruce Aylward whether the UN body would reconsider Taiwan’s membership, got “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear your question… let’s move to another one then…”; and when the journalist asked to comment on Taiwan’s effort, got “we’ve already talked about China.” [1]: https://twitter.com/emilyrauhala/status/1243905923048976384 https://twitter.com/emilyrauhala/status/1243905923048976384 (Which is supporting your “Won't happen though”.)
  - kalleboo 7y ago
    After that interview, Bruce Aylward has now been removed from the WHO website https://twitter.com/anangbhai/status/1243947028582993921 https://twitter.com/anangbhai/status/1243947028582993921

robocat 7y ago

No paywall: http://archive.md/cQl0E http://archive.md/cQl0E Aside: perhaps FT could chip in with the rest of the world here by making any of their articles about coronavirus open access... Edit: curious about downvotes - it’s my first time circumventing a paywall. Disclaimer: I would describe myself as a capitalist hippie.

neonate 7y ago

https://archive.md/cQl0E https://archive.md/cQl0E

mensetmanusman 7y ago

That’s because they were busy praising China for getting so efficient at oppressing their population.

Proven 7y ago

I don't know of any multi-government organization that delivers good value for money. WHO is but one example. Screw them.

haltingproblem 7y ago

TIL: The head of the WHO, "Dr" Tedros is not a medical doctor but has a Ph.D. in health. He was previously the health minister of Ethiopia and China was instrumental in getting him elected. Fun fact: He tried to get Robert Mugabe elected as a goodwill ambassador for the WHO. Source: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-helped-put-man-charge-world-health-organization%E2%80%94-it-paying-136002 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-helped-put-man-...