Taiwan’s Public Policy, Taiwan Think Tank, and other organizations held discussions on the topic of “Resolution 2758: The Interpretation War of Sovereignty – Past and Present of Resolution 2758” on the 3rd day, inviting scholars and experts to analyze. Analysts pointed out that Taiwan must invite all friendly nations, friends of Taiwan, and friends of the Taiwanese people to debunk the incorrect interpretation of this by the Chinese Communist Party.
The American think tank, the German Marshall Fund, held a seminar at the end of April. Mark Lambert, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, stated that the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 only switched the representation from the Republic of China to the Communist Party of China, and that was all. Now, the Chinese Communist Party distorts and misuses this resolution for its own interests, conflating it with the “One-China Principle.” “We need to collectively oppose the CCP’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758,” to make the world aware that they can maintain or develop relations with Taiwan.
In January of this year, the country of Nauru cited UN Resolution 2758 and the “One-China Principle” as reasons for abruptly severing diplomatic ties with the Republic of China. Sandra Oudkirk, Chair of the American Institute in Taiwan, expressed disappointment with Nauru’s decision on January 16th, stating that Resolution 2758 did not determine Taiwan’s status or exclude any country from establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan, nor did it prevent Taiwan from meaningfully participating in the UN system.
Jiang Ya-Qi, Director of the Center for Sustainable Technology Governance at the National Taiwan Ocean University, expressed that the CCP often uses UN Resolution 2758 to hinder Taiwan’s participation in international affairs. However, “this is fundamentally an epic cognitive war.” Resolution 2758 actually represented the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek, losing its legal status at the UN in 1971 and cannot dictate Taiwan’s future.
Dong Si-Chi, Vice Executive Director of Taiwan Think Tank, serving as the convener of Taiwan’s Public Policy, stated that due to Taiwan’s strategic importance in semiconductors and geopolitics, its international position has been gradually rising in recent years. In this context, Taiwan should actively address the issue of interpretation rights under UN Resolution 2758.
Dong emphasized that Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, in a special report to the Legislative Yuan on “how to use the strength of international ‘friend or foe’ organizations to help Taiwan join relevant UN organizations,” pointed out that the international community’s misunderstanding of Resolution 2758 could have implications for Taiwan in international law if it were to lead to an outbreak of war. Taiwan must invite all friendly nations, friends of Taiwan, and friends of the Taiwanese people, to collectively debunk the CCP’s interpretation; otherwise, the Taiwan Strait issue could become an internal matter for the CCP, making it difficult for foreign countries to intervene.
Dong further encouraged young friends to recognize the importance of Taiwan’s involvement in international initiatives and joining international organizations, to contribute their strengths and engage in international affairs speaking up for Taiwan. Through the collective efforts of different generations, Taiwan can certainly exert greater influence in the international community and make more contributions to regional peace and the world.
Yao Chia-Wen, Advisor to the President of the Republic of China, mentioned in a new book that the so-called “withdrawal” from the UN is entirely misleading. “China” never actually withdrew and remains a permanent member of the council; the only issue is represented by. In the past, both the United States and Japan pushed for the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China to have ‘dual representation rights’ at the UN. President Chiang Kai-shek at the time, was reluctant to accept this and later announced withdrawal from the UN, although legally there was not even an option to withdraw.
Renowned political analyst from Soochow University, Chen Fang-Yu, elaborated that Resolution 2758 has been subject to infinite transcoding by the CCP, confusing international perspectives. Even the US House of Representatives had to highlight in the 2023 Taiwan International Solidarity Act that “UN Resolution 2758 has no relevance to Taiwan.” Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the US State Department, Mark Lambert, publicly stated multiple times that Resolution 2758 does not confirm Taiwan’s sovereignty belonging to the CCP, firmly rejecting the CCP’s disinformation campaign.
Popular social media influencer, Hair Tie Girl, pointed out that the United Nations is an international organization and not equivalent to international law. The legal status of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands should be determined by international law, not through UN Resolution 2758. She urged the people of Taiwan to cherish the hard-won freedom of speech, unite on national consensus, and forge their path forward.
After the panel discussion, the host and young participants raised questions regarding the “Two Germanys and Two Koreas model,” “political power versus legal principles,” among others, with the panelists making in-depth analysis and responses one by one.