Taiwan’s Allies Urge UN to Include Taiwan: A Call for Fair Representation
New York [US], September 23: Permanent representatives from nine of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have written a joint letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations.
The letter was signed by representatives from Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and Tuvalu. They urged the UN to address the ‘malicious distortions’ of UN Resolution 2758, which they believe threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.
China claims that the resolution supports its ‘one China’ principle, asserting that Taiwan is part of China. However, Taiwan argues that the resolution only addressed China’s representation at the UN and did not define Taiwan’s political status or establish China’s sovereignty over it.
The letter also called on the UN to uphold its principle of neutrality and stop the incorrect interpretation of UN Resolution 2758, which prevents the people of Taiwan and the media from accessing the United Nations.
The letter was delivered ahead of the UN’s Summit for the Future and the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. Inga Rhonda King, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasized Taiwan’s significant role in technology and questioned its exclusion from the summit.
Carla Maria Rodriguez Mancia, Guatemala’s Permanent Representative to the UN, expressed hope that more countries would support Taiwan’s inclusion, highlighting its status as a thriving democracy and a technology hub. Carlos Fuller, Belize’s Permanent Representative to the UN, noted that Taiwan is one of the island nations most threatened by rising sea levels, making its exclusion from climate conferences a significant issue.
Lee Chih-chiang, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, expressed gratitude for the support and emphasized the importance of correctly interpreting UN Resolution 2758 and finding ways to include Taiwan in the UN system.
Doubts Revealed
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island in East Asia, near China. It has its own government but is not officially recognized as a separate country by the United Nations.
UN -: The UN, or United Nations, is an international organization where countries come together to discuss and solve global issues like peace, security, and human rights.
UN Secretary-General -: The UN Secretary-General is the head of the United Nations. Antonio Guterres is the current Secretary-General.
diplomatic allies -: Diplomatic allies are countries that support each other in international matters. They often help each other in organizations like the UN.
UN Resolution 2758 -: UN Resolution 2758 is a decision made by the United Nations in 1971. It recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China, which affected Taiwan’s status in the UN.
Belize -: Belize is a small country in Central America. It is one of the countries that support Taiwan.
Eswatini -: Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small country in Southern Africa. It is also one of Taiwan’s supporters.
Guatemala -: Guatemala is a country in Central America. It is one of the nations that signed the letter supporting Taiwan.
neutrality -: Neutrality means not taking sides in a conflict or disagreement. The letter asks the UN to be neutral and fair in its decisions about Taiwan.
technology -: Technology refers to tools and machines that help people do things more easily. Taiwan is known for making advanced technology like computers and smartphones.
rising sea levels -: Rising sea levels mean that the ocean is getting higher, which can cause flooding. This is a problem for islands like Taiwan.
