Global goals and peace: Chip in with Taiwan

The ongoing 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commenced at UN Headquarters in New York on Sept. 10, 2024, with the general debate to be held from Sept. 24 to 28 and on Sept. 30. The theme this year is “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”

Ironically, the 23.5 million people of Taiwan continue to be left behind by the UN system. This grave injustice is due mainly to China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758; China’s attempts to mislead the international community into accepting that the resolution is equivalent to the so-called “one China principle” and China’s spurious claims that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China and that Resolution 2758 has authorized the PRC to represent Taiwan in the UN system.

In the face of China’s cognitive warfare, prompt rebuttals and clarifications must be issued. Otherwise, the objective status quo across the Taiwan Strait – in which neither Taiwan nor the PRC is subordinate to the other – will utterly change, allowing China to lay a legal foundation for an armed invasion of Taiwan. Therefore, Taiwan’s bid to participate in the United Nations this year is focused on enhancing international understanding of UNGA Resolution 2758.

Firstly, the PRC distorts UNGA Resolution 2758, falsely conflating it with its “one China principle.” This has jeopardized the status quo across the Taiwan strait as well as the stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The PRC’s expansionism will not stop at Taiwan. As the Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) was preparing to raise anchor at Sabina Shoal on Aug. 31, it was deliberately rammed multiple times in intimidating and dangerous maneuvers by a China Coast Guard vessel. This marked the third confrontation between the two sides in the same maritime area in recent days. China has recently cited “rights protection” as a pretext for using illegal, threatening, coercive and dangerous maneuvers to obstruct and interfere with the legal navigation of Philippine vessels, leading to several collisions at sea. Taiwan condemns China’s bullying tactics in repeatedly and intentionally causing confrontations and escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

Moreover, UNGA Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system. The United Nations must seek suitable ways of including Taiwan to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to its contribution to world peace, health, agriculture and climate change, Taiwan also contributes remarkably to global supply chains stability by producing more than 90 percent of the world’s high-end semiconductors and a significant portion of the advanced chips that are driving the AI revolution, and thus demonstrate profoundly its strategic importance.

Lastly, the UN Secretariat must uphold neutrality. The current practice of prohibiting Taiwan passport holders from entering UN premises constitutes blatant discrimination against the people of Taiwan and is based purely on political considerations. The fact that Taiwanese media outlets and journalists continue to be denied accreditation to cover UN meetings and events also violates the principle of freedom of the press.

Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue working with like-minded countries to maintain healthy and resilient global supply chains – particularly in the semiconductor industry. Taiwan also opposes any threat to security in the South China Sea or actions that harm regional peace and stability. It urges all sides to exercise restraint, abide by international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and resolve differences via peaceful means.

I hereby call on the Philippine government, its Congress and its people to support Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations and related meetings, mechanisms and activities. After all, chipping in with Taiwan in the United Nations will be a step closer to the global common good. – Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines