The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly general debate has concluded, with allies, like-minded countries, and friends from around the world expressing support for Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations in various ways both inside and outside the venue. They also refuted malicious distortions of Resolution 2758 by the Chinese Communist Party. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) sincerely appreciates the support.
On October 4th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China issued a press release stating that high-level officials from friendly countries including Paraguay, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Eswatini, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Belize spoke up for Taiwan during the UN General Assembly debate and future summits, with some countries explicitly pointing out that Resolution 2758 does not exclude Taiwan from participating in the UN system.
US President Biden, for the second time since 2022, clearly stated during the UN General Assembly debate that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Australia, for the first time in a UN General Assembly debate, mentioned the Taiwan Strait, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong publicly stating that they will continue to urge China to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Leading up to the UN General Assembly debate, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell criticized in a congressional hearing that Resolution 2758 has become a tool for China to suppress Taiwan’s status. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp also stated in parliament that the resolution does not involve Taiwan.
Following sideline meetings at the UN General Assembly, the G7 foreign ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint statement emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for international security and prosperity, reaffirming their support for Taiwan’s international participation.
Additionally, joint statements were issued by the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Leaders’ Summit, the EU-China High-Level Dialogue, US-Japan Leaders’ Meeting, UK-US Strategic Dialogue, Japan-Australia Ministerial Meeting, South Korea-New Zealand Bilateral Meeting, and the US-Lithuania Strategic Dialogue, all underlining the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
In the legislative field, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) passed a template resolution on Resolution 2758 in various parliaments on July 30. The Australian Senate, Dutch House of Representatives, and Guatemalan Congress each passed motions in support of Taiwan based on this template. The Italian Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee also passed a resolution in support of Taiwan’s international participation, demonstrating strong support for the Republic of China.
On the sidelines, President Tsai Ing-wen made her first appearance at the Concordia non-profit organization summit in New York, delivering a prerecorded keynote speech emphasizing Taiwan’s commitment to regional peace and stability, and calling for international support for Taiwan’s international participation.
Ambassador Yu De-sheng of the Republic of China in the United States held discussions with former Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach on Taiwan’s peace and security in the Taiwan Strait and its efforts to join the United Nations. Additionally, the Republic of China, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada jointly organized the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) international seminar in New York during the UN General Assembly to showcase Taiwan’s commitment to contributing to the international community.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China also expressed gratitude for the strong support from the Legislative Yuan. A bipartisan delegation led by Members of Parliament Chang Ya-lin, Wu Tsung-hsien, and Wu Chun-cheng attended relevant activities in New York during the UN General Assembly, effectively conveying the strong public sentiment in Taiwan for participating in the UN system to the international community.
Through international propaganda and new media, the government effectively communicated this year’s advocacy appeals to various parts of the world. Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu’s articles, mission station op-eds, and ambassador interviews were featured in top US publications such as Diplomat, The Hill, The Washington Times, National Review, and The New York Sun.
Moreover, outlets including Modern Diplomacy, European Business Review, National Post in Canada, La Figaro in France, Norrbottens-Kuriren in Sweden, La Razón in Spain, De Telegraaf and Nederlands Dagblad in the Netherlands, Euractiv in Greece, and Rzeczpospolita in Poland also published related articles.
In addition, prominent international mainstream media such as La Verità in Italy, Le Formiche in Italy, Sankei Shimbun in Japan, Chosun Ilbo in South Korea, The Philippine Star in the Philippines, Hindustan Times and The Tribune in India, The Jerusalem Post in Israel, and La Razón in Peru, as well as Eswatini Observer in Eswatini, La Nación in Paraguay, O Tempo in Brazil, Jelen in Hungary, and Daily News in Thailand, published a total of 455 articles. The IC You video “Taiwan Harmony” garnered over 25.4 million views globally, setting a new record for Taiwan’s international promotion efforts.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China and its embassies utilized various social media platforms during the United Nations General Assembly advocacy period, publishing a total of 2,922 social media posts, reaching a total exposure over 48.378 million views. The responses received far exceeded previous years.
This year, the Republic of China also launched a large animated short film titled “UNited – Global Peace with Taiwan” on the Times Square billboard in New York. The film highlighted Taiwan’s semiconductor technology prowess and its contributions to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting Taiwan’s image as a responsible member of the international community and garnering greater international recognition and support for Taiwan’s bid for international participation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China reiterates that Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan and therefore is not related to Taiwan. Using it as a basis to exclude Taiwan from the UN system and other international organizations is unfounded. Taiwan possesses the determination, willingness, and capability to contribute to the global community. Continuing to exclude Taiwan from multilateral efforts would be a loss for all humankind and a hindrance to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China once again calls on the United Nations to stop succumbing to pressure from the Chinese Communist Party and swiftly accept Taiwan’s full participation, in line with the UN’s principle of “leave no one behind”.