September 20, 2024
No. 310
In a firm demonstration of support for Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the United Nations system, the permanent representatives to the UN of nine diplomatic allies sent a joint letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly refuting the misrepresentation and misapplication of UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. The allies were Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu. Paraguay also sent an individual letter backing Taiwan’s UN bid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sincerely appreciates the warmth of support from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.
The permanent representatives to the UN of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Palau, Guatemala, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands presented the joint letter to the UN Secretariat on September 19 before speaking to reporters in front of the UN headquarters to demand that the UN stop excluding Taiwan.
The joint letter stressed three main points. First, it called on the UN to recognize and take action to address malicious distortions of UNGA Resolution 2758, which constitute a serious threat to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Second, given that UNGA Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful engagement in the UN system, the letter urged the UN to seek appropriate means to allow Taiwan to participate and further contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Third, it called on the UN to remain strictly neutral, stop erroneously citing UNGA Resolution 2758, and cease inappropriately depriving Taiwanese nationals and journalists of the right to enter UN premises for visits, meetings, and newsgathering activities.
MOFA reiterates that UNGA Resolution 2758 does not mention and therefore has nothing to do with Taiwan. The resolution neither reflects nor equates to China’s “one China principle,” nor does it block Taiwan from participating in the UN system or other international organizations. MOFA strongly condemns China’s continued malicious distortion of the resolution in attempts to mislead international opinion. It calls on the international community to jointly oppose China’s false narratives and urges the UN Secretariat to actively uphold the principle of universality embodied in the UN Charter, honor its commitment to leave no one behind, and promptly allow Taiwan’s participation. (E)