Taiwan says its political isolation is hampering efforts to fight a viral epidemic in the country which has already killed more than thirty-five children.

The Taiwanese deputy foreign minister, David Lee, told the BBC that his country's continued exclusion from the World Health Organisation was preventing it from sharing information about the epidemic.

There's now concern that the flu-like disease could spread to neighbouring countries.

Taiwan's re-entry to the United Nations is fiercly opposed by China , which regards it as as renegade province, and a BBC correspondent in the region says that President Clinton's forthcoming visit to Beijing has heightened Taiwan's sensitivity over recognition.