Since the SARS epidemic began in Taiwan, the mainland has invited health workers and experts from Taiwan to visit the mainland many times and shared information with them, said Wu, who is also the health minister.

Wu was in the Swiss city Geneva to attend a meeting of the World Health Organization.

The mainland has also provided Taiwan with a newly developed reagent, Wu told WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland. Wu added that people in Taiwan have access to all kinds of health information and that there is close cross-Straits co-operation.

Brundtland said the Taiwan issue has already been resolved in the World Health Assembly. She said she does not want this issue to disturb the handling of the SARS epidemic.

Brundtland said the WHO appraises the effective measures taken and the great efforts made by the Chinese Government in the prevention of SARS.

The director-general said the spread of SARS reminds the international community of the importance of building public health systems.

In Beijing, the Ministry of Health said the Chinese mainland is giving the Taiwan authorities greater access to information and resources to help prevent SARS.

Xinhua

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