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.
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