Leaders from diplomatic allies Paraguay and the Marshall Islands on Tuesday spoke in support of Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN at the General Debate of the world body’s General Assembly in New York City, arguing that Taiwanese deserve equal treatment.
The presidents of the two nation delivered speeches on the first day of the assembly, which opened on Tuesday and continues through Monday next week.
Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez and Marshallese President Hilda Heine spoke up for Taiwan’s bid to be included in the UN.
“My country supports Taiwan’s legitimate request to be included in the UN system and believes that this country can contribute a great deal to its work,” Abdo Benitez said in his remarks.
Abdo Benitez, who was inaugurated last month, said that Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN should be granted based on the UN’s principle of universality.
Heine made a similar appeal in her address, saying that her nation supports recognition of Taiwan’s meaningful participation within the UN system, including programs and agencies such as the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
“The people of Taiwan deserve equal treatment and the UN should resolve the serious issue of Taiwan’s 23 million people being excluded from the UN system — an issue we believe is not addressed in UN General Assembly Resolution 2758,” Heine said.
Adopted in 1971, UN Resolution 2758 recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only lawful representative of China to the UN and expelled “the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek [蔣介石] from the place which they unlawfully occupied at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.”
Advocates for Taiwan’s UN membership bid say that the resolution only addresses the representation of “China” at the UN, not Taiwan.
Heine said Taiwan has been implementing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and has released a national review of its own initiative.
“[Taiwan] has the capacity to contribute to a wide range of UN programs relevant to global progress. Diseases like tuberculosis know no boundaries and Taiwan has brought its policy framework in line with global efforts,” she said.
Taiwan has served as a partner to the Marshall Islands in addressing non-communicable diseases, Heine said, adding that blocking Taiwan’s participation “does not benefit global human welfare.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) thanked the two allies for speaking up for Taiwan’s 23 million people at the assembly.
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
CHINA’s BULLYING: The former British prime minister said that he believes ‘Taiwan can and will’ protect its freedom and democracy, as its people are lovers of liberty Former British prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Western nations should have the courage to stand with and deepen their economic partnerships with Taiwan in the face of China’s intensified pressure. He made the remarks at the ninth Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prospect Foundation in Taipei. Johnson, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, said he had seen Taiwan’s coastline on a screen on his indoor bicycle, but wanted to learn more about the nation, including its artificial intelligence (AI) development, the key technology of the 21st century. Calling himself an
South Korea yesterday said that it was removing loudspeakers used to blare K-pop and news reports to North Korea, as the new administration in Seoul tries to ease tensions with its bellicose neighbor. The nations, still technically at war, had already halted propaganda broadcasts along the demilitarized zone, Seoul’s military said in June after the election of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. It said in June that Pyongyang stopped transmitting bizarre, unsettling noises along the border that had become a major nuisance for South Korean residents, a day after South Korea’s loudspeakers fell silent. “Starting today, the military has begun removing the loudspeakers,”
RSS