UN Resolution 2758 did not address Taiwan’s representation in the UN, the Taiwan International Solidarity Act passed by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee says.
The bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives in February to amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019.
Photo: AP
The amendment was passed by the committee with a voice vote without objection and would be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Photo: AFP
The bipartisan TAIPEI Act was introduced in the US Congress in 2019 and signed into law in 2020 to “express United States support for Taiwan’s diplomatic alliances around the world.”
It requires the US to advocate for Taiwan’s membership in international organizations and support the nation to bolster diplomatic ties with countries around the world.
The amendment includes new paragraphs calling on the US, as a member of any international organizations, to “oppose any attempts by the People’s Republic of China to resolve Taiwan’s status by distorting the decisions, language, policies, or procedures of the organization, and for other purposes.”
UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 established the representatives of the government of China as the only lawful representatives of China to the UN, the amended bill says.
“The resolution did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the United Nations or any related organizations, nor did the resolution take a position on the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan or include any statement pertaining to Taiwan’s sovereignty,” it adds.
Beijing interpreted the resolution adopted in 1971 to exclude Taiwan from international organizations and their affiliates.
In the resolution, the UN General Assembly decided to “expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.”
The amendment also reiterates that the US “opposes any initiative that seeks to change Taiwan’s status without the consent of the people.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the US Congress for its bipartisan support of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
Passing the bill ahead of the 76th World Health Assembly, which is to begin this weekend, is especially meaningful, the ministry said.
Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend the meeting of the top decisionmaking body of the WHO for the sixth consecutive year due to pressure by China.
US representatives Michael McCaul, who chairs the committee, and Gregory Meeks, its former chairman, backed the bill, saying that excluding Taiwan from the UN system would be a disservice to the world, the ministry said.
Additional reporting by CNA
WAITING GAME: The US has so far only offered a ‘best rate tariff,’ which officials assume is about 15 percent, the same as Japan, a person familiar with the matter said Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today. The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said. A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
Taiwanese exports to the US are to be subject to a 20 percent tariff starting on Thursday next week, according to an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump yesterday. The 20 percent levy was the same as the tariffs imposed on Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by Trump. It was higher than the tariffs imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EU (15 percent), as well as those on the Philippines (19 percent). A Taiwan official with knowledge of the matter said it is a "phased" tariff rate, and negotiations would continue. "Once negotiations conclude, Taiwan will obtain a better
FLOOD RECOVERY: “Post-Typhoon Danas reconstruction special act” is expected to be approved on Thursday, the premier said, adding the flood control in affected areas would be prioritized About 200cm of rainfall fell in parts of southern Taiwan from Monday last week to 9am yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Kaohsiung’s Taoyuan District (桃源) saw total rainfall of 2,205mm, while Pingtung County’s Sandimen Township (三地門) had 2,060.5mm and Tainan’s Nanhua District (南化) 1,833mm, according to CWA data. Meanwhile, Alishan (阿里山) in Chiayi County saw 1,688mm of accumulated rain and Yunlin County’s Caoling (草嶺) had 1,025mm. The Pingtung County Government said that 831 local residents have been pre-emptively evacuated from mountainous areas. A total of 576 are staying with relatives in low-lying areas, while the other 255 are in shelters. CWA forecaster
RSS