US officials who visited Taiwan earlier this week met with foreign representatives and told them that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan nor should it be conflated with China’s “one China” principle, sources said yesterday.
UN Resolution 2758 recognized the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China in 1971. Beijing has been misrepresenting it to exclude Taiwan from the international organization and its affiliates.
A representative to Taiwan, requesting anonymity, quoted the US officials as saying during a meeting that as long as it is not specified in UN Resolution 2758, “everything is feasible” with regard to Taiwan pursuing a breakthrough in its external relations.
Photo: Reuters
Another representative to Taiwan, who also wished to remain anonymous, said that the US government would vary its approaches to help Taiwan build ties.
For example, the US could play the role of intermediary with countries that have a US embassy and a Taiwanese embassy or representative office, to help reinforce the relationships between Taiwan and these countries or develop multilateral relationships, the representative said.
Two US deputy assistant secretaries of state visited Taiwan on Thursday, without attracting the media’s attention, both sources said.
They met with foreign representatives to Taiwan to discuss how to increase the nation’s international participation and boost its collaboration with countries in the region, the sources said.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Taiwan’s 12 allies, as well as those from other like-minded nations, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, the EU, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Poland and the UK, the sources said.
Mark Lambert, deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, on May 29 condemned China for mischaracterizing the resolution and “wrongly asserts that it reflects an international consensus for its ‘one China’ principle.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not comment yesterday on the reported meeting between US officials and foreign representatives in Taiwan.
However, it said in a news release that the Taiwan-US working group on international organization issues was held in Taipei on Friday.
Constructive discussions were had about how to assist Taiwan in engaging in the UN system and other international organizations, the ministry said.
It said it deeply appreciates the US’ firm support for Taiwan’s engagement in the world.
The US recognized Taiwan’s excellent capabilities and ability to assist with the emerging challenges facing public health, food security, flight safety and climate change, and said it would support Taiwan to meaningfully participate in the UN system, including the WHO and International Civil Aviation Organization, the ministry said.
The US and Taiwan agreed to continue to collaborate closely and use creative approaches to consolidate international support, it added.
PROVOCATIVE: Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Sun Lei accused Japan of sending military vessels to deliberately provoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait China denounced remarks by Japan and the EU about the South China Sea at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, and accused Tokyo of provocative behavior in the Taiwan Strait and planning military expansion. Ayano Kunimitsu, a Japanese vice foreign minister, told the Council meeting on maritime security that Tokyo was seriously concerned about the situation in the East China and South China seas, and reiterated Japan’s opposition to any attempt to change the “status quo” by force, and obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight. Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the EU delegation to the UN, also highlighted South China Sea
The final batch of 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks purchased from the US arrived at Taipei Port last night and were transported to the Armor Training Command in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口), completing the military’s multi-year procurement of 108 of the tanks. Starting at 12:10am today, reporters observed more than a dozen civilian flatbed trailers departing from Taipei Port, each carrying an M1A2T tank covered with black waterproof tarps. Escorted by military vehicles, the convoy traveled via the West Coast Expressway to the Armor Training Command, with police implementing traffic control. The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM-11 Brave Tiger
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said it expects its 2-nanometer (2nm) chip capacity to grow at a compound annual rate of 70 percent from this year to 2028. The projection comes as five fabs begin volume production of 2-nanometer chips this year — two in Hsinchu and three in Kaohsiung — TSMC senior vice president and deputy cochief operating officer Cliff Hou (侯永清) said at the company’s annual technology symposium in Silicon Valley, California, last week. Output in the first year of 2-nanometer production, which began in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to
Taiwan’s drone exports surged past US$100 million in the first quarter, exceeding last year’s full-year total, with the Czech Republic emerging as the largest buyer, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. Exports of complete drones reached US$115.85 million in the period, about 1.2 times the total recorded for all of last year, the ministry said in a report. Exports to the Czech Republic accounted for about US$100 million, far outpacing other markets. Poland, last year’s top destination, recorded about US$11.75 million in the first quarter. Taiwan’s drone exports have expanded rapidly in the past few years, with last year’s total