August 25, 2022
No. 217
Permanent Representatives to the United Nations from diplomatic allies of Taiwan—Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu—issued a joint statement on August 23 expressing grave concern over China’s deliberate escalation of military threats, which are disrupting the cross-strait status quo and undermining the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and the region beyond. The statement also commended Taiwan for remaining calm in response to China’s intimidation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) expresses deep gratitude to the allies for speaking up for Taiwan and sincerely thanks them for their robust support and friendship.
In the joint statement, Taiwan’s diplomatic allies reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability, and the rules-based international order. They also emphasized that the UN Charter clearly states that the United Nations’ purposes and principles are to maintain international peace and stability and that international disputes should be resolved by peaceful means. The allies solemnly called on the United Nations and the international community to urge China to immediately cease its military exercises surrounding Taiwan as well as its attempts to alter the status quo, under which neither side of the Taiwan Strait is subordinate to the other. Furthermore, they urged China to respect the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
The government of Taiwan again condemns China for its military intimidation and its attempt to unilaterally change the cross-strait status quo through its aggressive behavior, which is eroding regional peace and stability. China’s military threats not only jeopardize the existing international order but also seriously impact international trade and transportation. In recent years, China has continued to push its erroneous interpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. It persistently pressures the United Nations to accept its false narrative and relentlessly suppresses Taiwan’s international participation. MOFA calls on the international community to recognize that China’s irresponsible actions are undermining the status quo, jointly condemn China and urge it to honor the UN Charter’s principle of not using force, and demand that it immediately cease all forms of coercion against Taiwan and the international community.
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies are a bedrock of support. They speak up for Taiwan at various international settings or through other means, fully demonstrating the universal values of democracy and freedom that Taiwan and its allies jointly uphold. They firmly oppose China’s military provocation, which is disrupting regional peace and stability, and they jointly defend the rules-based international order. (E)