- R.O.C. (Taiwan) government continues to campaign for UN participation, urging the international community to recognize aspirations of Taiwan’s 23.5 million people
- Date:2020/08/28 Data Source: Public Diplomacy Coordination Council, MOFA
In this year’s campaign for UN participation, the focus of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is to convey to the international community the aspiration of the people of Taiwan to take part in the UN system, and to show that Taiwan is willing and able to contribute to UN efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate recovery. The government has requested diplomatic allies to continue to voice support for Taiwan at the General Debate and to send letters to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, urging him to uphold the principles of inclusivity and of leaving no one behind that the United Nations has consistently emphasized and to resolve the issue of Taiwan’s long-standing exclusion from the UN system.
This year’s UN bid has three main, continuing appeals. First, the UN should take immediate action to resolve the inappropriate exclusion of Taiwan’s 23.5 million people from the UN system. Second, the UN’s discriminatory policy against Taiwanese passport holders and journalists violates their fundamental human rights and should be rectified immediately. Third, the UN should ensure that Taiwan has the right to participate in an equal and dignified manner in meetings, mechanisms, and activities related to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and thereby make contributions.
In order to clearly communicate Taiwan’s appeals to the international community, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu has published an op-ed entitled “Recover Better Together—Taiwan Can Help” in international media. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also produce a short video documenting Taiwan’s success in containing COVID-19 and supporting those at home and abroad engaged in the fight against the pandemic.
The government will also host virtual side events to highlight Taiwan’s importance as a global stakeholder in the implementation of the SDGs. This will foster international understanding of Taiwan’s success and contributions to sustainable development and disease control, and show Taiwan to be a strong partner in global pandemic containment and recovery.
MOFA recognizes and thanks Taiwan’s civil society and overseas compatriot communities for employing diverse approaches toward expanding support for Taiwan’s international participation even in the face of the ongoing pandemic.
Striving for participation in the United Nations has never been easy. However, thanks to the combined efforts of the government and civil society, international support for Taiwan’s bid continues to gain momentum. The R.O.C. government is deeply grateful to diplomatic allies and friendly nations for their backing and assistance in promoting Taiwan’s bid to participate in the UN system, and once again calls on the United Nations to take prompt action to accept Taiwan’s 23.5 million people into its fold so as to create a brighter, more inclusive, and more sustainable post-pandemic era. (E)
