The US representative to the United Nations condemned the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for “misusing” a 1971 UN resolution to prevent Taiwan from being included in the international organisation, as reported by Taipei Times.
Taiwan’s government expressed its appreciation for the criticism.
According to Taipei Times, during a UN Security Council meeting convened by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on Wednesday at UN headquarters in New York, Ting Wu, deputy political counsellor of the US Mission to the United Nations, criticised China for “misusing” UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.
According to a transcript from the US Mission, Wu referred to the meeting’s Concept Note, titled “The Impact of Unilateralism and Bullying Practices on International Relations,” which called for opposition to “all forms of unilateralism and bullying.” He emphasised that the US opposed China’s misuse of the resolution to isolate Taiwan, misrepresent the policies of other countries, and limit their options. Wu pointed out that this resolution does not prevent Taiwan from having meaningful participation in the UN system or other multilateral forums, the Taipei Times cited.
Wu further stated that the US, in collaboration with its allies and partners, would continue to counter Beijing’s efforts to impose its authoritarian principles at the United Nations. In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expressed gratitude for the US statement, marking this as the first time the US had raised the issue during a UN Security Council meeting, according to MOFA. The last instance of US criticism regarding the misuse of Resolution 2758 was in February, during the World Health Organisation’s 156th session of the Executive Board, MOFA noted.
Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, addressed China’s representation at the UN and resulted in the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan’s official name, losing its seat to the PRC. Since then, Taiwan has been excluded from participation in the UN and its affiliates, as the UN and the majority of its member states do not recognise Taiwan as a country.