Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare announced signing of its first Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation with the United States Department of Health and Human Services last month.

With joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on health cooperation between Taiwan and the United States is signed by Chairperson Jen-ni Yang of the Taiwan Council for U.S. Affairs and Director Brent Christensen of the American Institute in Taiwan, on August 10, 2020 in Taipei in the presence of witnesses, Minister Shih-Chung Chen of the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare and Secretary Alex Azar II of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This MOU also showed the tight, staunch and friendly partnership between Taiwan and the United States.

Taiwan and the United States have more than 20 years of public health cooperation, addressing topics such as emerging infectious diseases response and dengue vaccine research.

First executed by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, this MOU further expands the cooperation in areas including global health security, infectious disease prevention and control, chronic disease prevention and health promotion, maternal, infant and adolescent health, environmental health, occupational health, tobacco control, health inequality, digital health, misuse of opioids, health communication and human resources for health. Other areas of potential cooperation may also be included in the future after discussion.

Under the framework of the MOU, cooperation activities are conducted by cooperative programs, science and research projects, personnel exchange, training and bilateral visits, consultations, meetings, workshops, and conferences, as well as establishment of contact points to facilitate exchange of best practices, expertise, and information.

This MOU aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of people of Taiwan and the United States as well as promote global health security together.