Minister: Taiwan’s participation makes U.N. stronger

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Jaushieh Joseph Wu has stressed that Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations would make the international organization stronger.

In a recent article received from Taipei Economic and Trade Office (TETO), Friday (Aug. 20), Minister Wu said that in facing the recent escalating pandemic wave, Taiwan has been able to control it well, and therefore has the ability to cooperate with fellow countries and partners in dealing with the challenges posed by this outbreak.

Taiwan has excellent anti-pandemic capabilities, and the ability to quickly meet global supply chain needs, and is always ready to provide ongoing substantive assistance to partner countries.

“So there is no reason to exclude Taiwan from playing a constructive role in the U.N. structure,” said Wu.

He further stated that under the People’s Republic of China’s pressure, the United Nations and relevant agencies continued to use the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971 as a legal basis to exclude Taiwan’s participation.

“However, the text of the resolution only discusses China’s representation in the United Nations, and does not mention China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it authorize the People’s Republic of China to represent Taiwan in the United Nations structure,” he noted.

According to Wu, in fact, the People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan, but only the Taiwan government elected by the Taiwanese people through democratic procedures can represent Taiwan in the international arena.

“The People’s Republic of China is absolutely mistaken to connect the UN Resolution 2758 with Beijing’s ‘One China Principle’,” he said.

Minister Wu continued that the absurdity also includes points concerning Taiwanese passport holders who are also not allowed into the UN to visit or participate in meetings, and Taiwanese media not being able to obtain press cards to cover UN activities, including for interviews.

“Excluding the Taiwanese people from the United Nations not only undermines the notion of multilateralism, but also violates the principles of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as stated in the founding objectives of the United Nations,” Wu wrote in his article.

Minister Wu pointed out that in the past 60 years, Taiwan has continued to provide assistance to partner countries around the world.

After the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, not only did Taiwan work hard to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also actively assist its partner countries in achieving them.

According to the 2021 World Happiness Report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), Taiwan has the highest score in East Asia, and is ranked 24th in the world, reflecting that Taiwan has implemented the results of the SDGs.

Meanwhile, to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050, Taiwan is actively developing a roadmap and formulating relevant regulations to accelerate the progress of this aim.

“Climate change knows no national borders, and Taiwan cares about this issue,” he stressed.

Minister Wu mentioned that UN Secretary General António Guterres in his re-election speech in June this year, stressed that the pandemic has made all countries realize that we share life with each other, and only by accepting the participation of all parties, the United Nations and all people of the member states could really acquire the benefits.

“Taiwan is a force of kindness in the world, and now is the time for the United Nations to accept Taiwan, so that Taiwan could help,” Minister Wu wrote.

Reporting by Indonesia Window