October 2, 2020
No.222
During the opening of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly held this year, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) continued to seek international support through diverse channels, effectively raising worldwide awareness of Taiwan's UN campaign and the aspiration of Taiwan's 23.5 million people to participate in the UN system. The continued momentum that the campaign has accumulated will also provide a firmer foundation for Taiwan's bid to attend the resumed session of the World Health Assembly in November. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses sincere gratitude for the staunch international support for Taiwan's campaign, as well as the global recognition of Taiwan's contribution in realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year, all 14 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies that are UN Member States either jointly or individually wrote to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, strongly urging him to include Taiwan in the UN system. They stressed that despite its exemplary response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has been excluded from the UN’s disease containment efforts, running counter to the UN's core principles of inclusiveness and universality as well as its vision of strengthening multilateralism. They also called for Taiwan's participation in UN efforts to promote global recovery and continued implementation of the SDGs.
During the UN General Debate, 12 high-level officials from Taiwan's diplomatic allies, including the Presidents of Palau, Paraguay, the Marshall Islands, Haiti, and Nauru; the Prime Ministers of Tuvalu, Eswatini, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Christopher and Nevis, and Saint Lucia; the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Nicaragua (listed in order in which they spoke) stood up for justice and urged the UN to honor its pledge of “leaving no one behind” and to take action to welcome Taiwan , allowing Taiwan to join partners around the world in effecting postpandemic recovery and building a better future.
Like-minded countries supported Taiwan's bid in a variety of ways. US Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Kelly Craft met with Director-General James K.J. Lee of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York to discuss issues including US support for Taiwan's UN bid. Ambassador Craft also gave remarks at a side event held under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) jointly organized by Taiwan, the US, and Japan. In the United Kingdom, Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office recognized and welcomed Taiwan's valuable contribution toward implementation of the SDGs when responding to a parliamentary inquiry. In addition, the Australian Office in Taipei, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, and the American Institute in Taiwan made Facebook posts and shared the MOFA-produced video Blessings from Taiwan in recognition of Taiwan's concrete contributions toward fulfilling the SDGs.
In addition, the National Congress of Honduras passed a resolution supporting Taiwan's international participation. Parliamentarians in Peru, Venezuela, the UK, Sweden, Turkey, Colombia, and South Africa expressed support for Taiwan's UN bid through joint statements, written inquiries, letters to the President of the UN General Assembly, and social media posts.
The results of this year's global media outreach have been impressive. An op-ed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu, in which he called on the UN to uphold its own founding principles of universality and equality and welcome Taiwan's participation, was published over 217 times by media outlets from the US, Japan, France, Canada, and other countries. In addition, the promotional film Blessings from Taiwan has received over 11.2 million views, while related posts on MOFA's Facebook page have gained more than 1.96 million views. The campaign's “Taiwan Can Help” video advertisements in New York City's Times Square and other locations also received much attention and international praise.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all three of Taiwan's side events were held virtually this year. These events focused on topics including the SDGs, international development, and women's leadership, aiming to share Taiwan's related achievements and contributions. Speakers included former Vice President Dr. Chen Chien-jen, Deputy Minister of the Environmental Protection Administration Tsai Hung-teh, and Taiwan's Representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim. US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Kelley E. Currie and Thomas Debass, Managing Director of the Department of State's Office of Global Partnerships, were also invited to share US experiences and observations. All events received very positive feedback.
The overseas compatriot community in New York also took the initiative of organizing numerous activities, holding a press conference, handing out Taiwanese antipandemic kits, running advertisements, and holding events to convey the message that the UN should address the issue of Taiwan's exclusion from the UN system. The community's enthusiasm deserves great recognition and praise.
The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) once again sincerely thanks its diplomatic allies and the international community for their support for Taiwan's UN campaign. MOFA reiterates that Taiwan remains determined to participate in international organizations and work with the world and the UN to promote the welfare of all peoples and jointly implement the SDGs. (E)