Statement on Signing Legislation Concerning Participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization

Today I have signed into law S. 243, an Act concerning participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization. The United States fully supports the overall goal of Taiwan's participation in the work of the World Health Organization, including observership. The United States has expressed publicly its firm support for Taiwan's observer status and will continue to do so. The executive branch shall, as is consistent with the President's constitutional authority to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, construe the Act to be consistent with the "one China" policy of the United States, which remains unchanged. The executive branch also shall construe the reporting requirement in section 1(c) of the Act in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to withhold information the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties. The Secretary of State will continue, of course, as a matter of comity to keep the Congress appropriately informed of the matters addressed by the reporting requirement.

GEORGE W. BUSH

The White House, May 29, 2003.