China is “misusing” UN Resolution 2758 to exclude Taiwan from the world body, a US representative to the UN said on Wednesday, while Taipei later expressed its gratitude for the comment.
The US Mission to the UN released a transcript of comments to a UN Security Council meeting at UN headquarters in New York earlier in the day on “unilateralism and bullying practices on international relations.”
The meeting was convened by China.
Photo: Screen grab from CNA’s YouTube channel
Wu Ting (吳婷), the US mission’s deputy political counselor, told the meeting that Washington opposes China’s “misuse of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758,” according to the transcript.
It misuses the resolution “in its attempts to isolate Taiwan, mischaracterize other countries’ policies and constrain their choices,” Wu said.
“This resolution does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system and other multilateral fora,” she said.
“Working closely with our allies and partners, the United States will continue to counter Beijing’s goals of embedding its authoritarian principles here at the United Nations,” she added.
In Taipei on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed the nation’s gratitude to Washington over the statement.
It was the first time the US has raised the issue of the resolution during a UN Security Council meeting, the ministry said in a statement.
The previous time the administration of US President Donald Trump criticized Beijing’s misuse of the resolution was in February during the WHO’s 156th session of its executive board, the ministry said.
Resolution 2758 was adopted by the 26th UN General Assembly in 1971 to address the issue of China’s representation at the international body. It resulted in the Republic of China losing its seat at the UN.
The US mission also said that Wednesday’s meeting was “a performative maneuver.”
“The premise is devoid of any substance or credibility,” the transcript said. “The world should look at China’s actions, rather than its empty claims, when judging its contributions to the international system. China’s actions do not match its words. China says one thing and does another.”
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