Taiwan’s #UNGA79 campaign scares China

By Caribbean News Global

TORONTO, Canada – The UNGA79 session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to commence at UN headquarters in New York on September 10, and Taiwan’s #UNGA79 campaign, is reportedly scaring China.

The UN General Debate will be held from September 24 to 28 and on September 30. The theme of this year’s General Debate is “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations.”

Taiwan’s 2024 campaign for UN participation comprises three main issues:

The malicious distortion of UNGA Resolution 2758 has become a serious threat to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The United Nations must take action to address it.
UNGA Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system. The United Nations must seek suitable ways of including Taiwan so that Taiwan can better contribute to realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Secretariat must adopt a strictly neutral stance and stop erroneously citing UNGA Resolution 2758. It must also grant Taiwanese nationals and journalists the right to access UN premises for visits, meetings, and newsgathering activities.

Meantime, the government and people of Taiwan continue to appeal to its allies’ permanent UN representatives to send joint letters to UN secretary-general António Guterres and speak for Taiwan at related UN events, while highlighting how Taiwan’s UN inclusion could secure peace in the Indo-Pacific.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) reiterates that it has always been an undeniable fact that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other; that the PRC has never governed Taiwan; and that no country can or has the right to deny this objective reality through a joint statement.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on September 2 met with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, who was in Beijing to attend the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. After the meeting, they issued a joint statement between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of South Africa on the Establishment of an All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in a New Era. The statement included false claims such as Taiwan being an inalienable part of China.

This comes at a time when China is attempting to charm African leaders with fancy summits and befriend the African continent to expand its infrastructural footprint, and wield diplomatic influence.

However, recent protests in northern Uganda over an oil pipeline project by state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) licensed to drill the oil, alongside French petroleum company, Total Energies, which extends 1,445 km (898-mile) long East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) from Uganda to Tanzania’s coast, transporting crude, point to greater complexities the Ugandan government face in a funding crisis.

“MOFA strongly condemns China for repeatedly using meetings with other countries’ leaders and large international conferences it organizes to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty,” adding. “Taiwan staunchly upholds the ideals of democracy and freedom, never wavering in the face of political coercion and diplomatic suppression by China. With a focus on democracy, peace, and freedom, it will continue to enhance cooperation with like-minded partners, ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and deepen exchanges with all countries.”

MOFA appreciates ROK – New Zealand joint statement supporting cross-strait peace and stability

After a bilateral meeting with ROK president Yoon Suk Yeol on September 4, the two countries issued a joint statement reaffirming the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

In a statement, attributed to the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, MOFA expressed strong affirmation of and sincere appreciation for their support and continues to do its utmost to preserve the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and oppose any attempt to disrupt this status quo by a hegemonic country in the region.

The statement noted that “Taiwan welcomes like-minded countries’ continued attention to the issue of cross-strait stability at international events and appreciates their concrete actions to uphold the rules-based international order. Taiwan remains committed to promoting values-based diplomacy and jointly safeguarding democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”

Meanwhile, Australia and Japan reaffirmed support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.

Japanese minister for foreign affairs Yoko Kamikawa and minister of defense Minoru Kihara convened the Australia-Japan foreign and defence ministerial consultations with Australian minister for foreign affairs Penny Wong and deputy prime minister and minister for defence Richard Marles near Melbourne on September 5.

The two sides agreed to deepen defense cooperation, underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and expressed strong opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion in the South China Sea and anywhere else in the world.

MOFA stated that it sincerely appreciates and strongly affirms these statements:

“Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea has become a matter of global consensus. MOFA welcomes like-minded countries’ continued attention on this issue at international events, appreciates their opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion, and recognizes their concrete efforts to uphold the rules-based international order. The Taiwan government remains committed to promoting values-based diplomacy and jointly safeguarding democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”