‘Leaving No One Behind’: It’s Time to End Taiwan’s Exclusion From the UN

The symbol of the United Nations at U.N. headquarters on Feb. 28, 2022. AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

Commentary

As heads of states and delegates worldwide gather in New York for the 79th U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), the foundations upon which it is built have become more precarious than ever. Ongoing wars, disinformation campaigns, and cases of electoral interference are challenging the international rules-based order and presenting acute threats against long-term peace, sustainability, and prosperity.

Therefore, it’s wise that the theme for this year’s UNGA is “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.” As the People’s Republic of China continues to ramp up its efforts to exclude Taiwan from the international community and erase Taiwanese identity, the 23.5 million people of Taiwan call on Canada and all like-minded countries to embrace Taiwan’s bid to meaningfully participate in the United Nations and its specialized agencies or join the U.N. system as an observer and safeguard the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

The reality of international politics has made Taiwan’s membership in the U.N. a “mission impossible.” However, many countries in the democratic world engage with Taiwan extensively on trade, environmental sustainability, supply chain resilience, public health, and technology.

The reasons are simple: Taiwan is the world’s largest producer of semiconductor chips that drive the smart machinery and AI inventions now and for the future. It is a critical player in the global supply chain resilience. It has a democratic society that elects its own president and local magistrate and has experienced three peaceful transfers of power between different political parties since 1996. It has strong nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Tsu-Chi Foundation that regularly provide humanitarian aid to areas affected by natural disasters or war. It has a strong civil society where young NGO leaders volunteer to defend our information space from media infiltration and disinformation campaigns by China that intend to divide our society and harm our democracy. The list could go on and on.

There exist no legal constraints against the inclusion of Taiwan within the U.N. system. China’s misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758 is the root cause of Taiwan’s unjustified exclusion from the U.N. system. In fact, the resolution only mentions who is the legal representative of China; it has not mentioned Taiwan at all. Therefore, it cannot be interpreted as precluding Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the U.N. system.

Expanding U.N. initiatives to include Taiwan is also not at odds with longstanding Canadian policy over its relationship with Taiwan and China. In fact, with Taiwanese professionals at the table in the U.N. mechanism or meetings, Canada stands to gain a valuable partner in fostering indigenous economic empowerment, building resilient supply chains, and cultivating sustainable development.

Taiwan is well-positioned to make greater contributions conducive to global progress and prosperity. Current statistics have indicated that the country is behind 60 percent of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing and 90 percent of the world’s AI server production. Researchers at the National Taiwan University have developed an innovative AI cancer detection system capable of detecting malignant pancreatic tumours early on, greatly enhancing patients’ survival rates.

Experts from Taiwan are also leveraging their knowledge to increase crop yields in Haiti and establish a digital health information system in Paraguay, in line with Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, and 17 for enhanced food security and well-being. Etching out a place for Taiwan within United Nations frameworks will provide the country with the means to share its knowledge, experience, and resources with more communities around the world.

As countries worldwide participate in the 79th Session of the U.N., we hope Canada will join with like-minded partners and advocate for Taiwan’s meaningful participation within the U.N. Let’s work together to defend the principle of universality and equality. Let’s work together to build a resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific community!

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.