Paraguay, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, three of the 15 UN members that have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, voiced support at the UN General Assembly on Friday for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN.
In a video played at the 76th session of the General Assembly in New York, Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez said that universality is a basic principle of the UN, and based on that principle, “we support the inclusion of Taiwan within the United Nations system.”
Taiwan lost its UN seat in 1971, when most countries shifted recognition to Beijing.
Photo: Bloomberg
Belizian Prime Minister John Briceno on Friday attended the UN meeting in person to say that the UN’s multilateral system must be inclusive to harness the capacity of all countries to cement international cooperation where it is most needed.
Briceno said Belize’s partnership with Taiwan has been based on their common democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, and his country has benefited significantly from its ties with Taiwan.
Briceno said that Taiwan has provided valuable assistance in providing medical supplies and financial support to help his country handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Belize calls for Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations and its specialized agencies,” Briceno said, adding that it would “further enhance global cooperation.”
Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris renewed his country’s call for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN community.
In a video played in the UN session, Harris praised Taiwan’s achievements and successes, saying his country strongly believes that Taiwan has an important role to play in international development strategies.
“Taiwan has demonstrated that it can be a true partner in health, and we have seen its exemplary response to the pandemic,” Harris said.
“My country looks forward to Taiwan being included in the UN system and its meetings, mechanisms and activities,” he added.
Friday was the fourth day of this year’s General Assembly session, by which time eight of Taiwan’s allies had made speeches.
Seven of those allies — Palau, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Paraguay, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis — voiced their support for Taiwan, while the eighth, Honduras, refrained from mentioning Taiwan for the sixth consecutive year.
Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) on Wednesday said decommissioned coast guard vessels were given to the Philippines to enhance regional rescue capacity and would not affect Taiwanese fishers’ rights and benefits. Kuan made the remarks after confirmation on Tuesday that a 500-tonne Coast Guard Administration (CGA) patrol and rescue vessel would be given to the Philippine Coast Guard. The donation ceremony was reportedly done in Manila, but whether the vessel — previously numbered “CG123” and named Kinmen (金門) — has been handed over has yet to be confirmed. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday criticized the donation for “taking
The Ministry of Finance today announced the winning numbers for the July-August uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$314,663) special prize is 89996565, while the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 91098182. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 54348835, 44991397 and 06595111. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits qualify for the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers are eligible for the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
The National Police Agency’s Third Special Police Corps yesterday said that from May to July, it intercepted five smuggling operations from China, seizing more than 70,000 counterfeit Beyblades with an estimated infringement value of NT$34.45 million (US$1.08 million). It added that any bootleg unit that reached the local market could present hidden health hazards to players. Beyblades, a line of spinning toy tops used in competitive gaming and developed in Japan by toy company Takara Tomy, have become popular in Taiwan, making them a target for fraudsters. The Third Special Police Corps, dedicated to safeguarding maritime borders and trade lines,
Five customers who made purchases at 7-Eleven stores across Taiwan won the top NT$10 million (US$313,716) special prize in the July-August uniform invoice lottery, including one who spent just NT$27 on photocopying, the convenience store chain said today. The five special prize winners made their purchases at stores in Taoyuan, Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, 7-Eleven operator President Chain Store Corp said. The five winning purchases included NT$29 spent on snacks at a store in Taoyuan's Zhongli District (中壢), NT$27 on photocopying at a store in Taipei's Zhongzheng District (中正), NT$139 on City Cafe coffee and daily necessities at a store in Taipei's
RSS