Taiwanese lawmakers and hundreds of Taiwanese expatriates on Saturday marched in New York City to promote Taiwan’s membership in the UN.
The march followed the opening on Tuesday of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, and ahead of the start of the annual general debate, which begins tomorrow and runs through Monday next week.
People from expatriate communities in New York City, Boston and Washington started the 3.2km-long march across the street from the office building housing the Chinese Consulate-General and headed toward Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in front of the UN headquarters.
Photo: CNA
New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), who has participated twice in similar marches promoting UN membership for Taiwan, said China has spared no effort to squeeze Taiwan’s international space and has used its influence to keep the nation out of the world body.
Taiwan will be able to join the UN one day if the nation’s younger generations continue to demand participation in the organization, he said.
Many of the marchers carried flags and banners with slogans supporting Taiwan’s desire to join the UN and expressing opposition to China’s suppression.
Photo: CNA
Led by Hsu and Democratic Progressive Party legislators Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) and Chen Man-li (陳曼麗), the march passed several New York City landmarks, including Times Square, Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building.
The marchers shouted slogans, including “Keep Taiwan Free,” “UN for Taiwan” and “Taiwan is Taiwan,” that drew support from onlookers.
The march finished in about 90 minutes, according to event organizer “Keep Taiwan Free,” which put the march’s turnout at about 500.
Because of China’s influence, not only has Taiwan been kept out of the world body, but Republic of China passport holders are not allowed to enter UN headquarters, which the lawmakers said was unfair to Taiwan.
They called on the UN and the international community to support Taiwan, which upholds the values of human rights and democracy, and live up to their commitment as part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind.
Participation in the UN system is a long-standing goal that the government and the public have worked for as part of Taiwan’s desire to become a constructive member of the international community, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Director-General Hsu Li-wen (徐儷文) said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft