Canadian MPs Unanimously Reject Beijing’s Claim That UN Resolution Grants Sovereignty Over Taiwan

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter carries a Taiwan flag during national day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Oct. 10, 2021. Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images

Canadian MPs have unanimously rejected Beijing’s claim that a 1971 UN resolution gives China sovereignty over Taiwan.

The MPs backed a motion presented by Bloc Québécois MP Yves Perron in the House of Commons on Nov. 6, opposing Beijing’s claim that a 1971 United Nations resolution establishes the communist-led regime’s sovereignty over the democratic island of Taiwan.

Speaking in French, Perron presented the motion, which said the House of Commons “acknowledged that the UN Resolution of Oct. 25, 1971, does not establish the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over Taiwan, nor does it determine the future of Taiwan nor its participation in UN agencies or international organizations.”

Perron said the motion, referencing UN Resolution 2758, reflected consultation with the other political parties and that there was “unanimous consent” to support it. Liberal MP Judy Sgro seconded the motion, allowing it to proceed to discussion.

Bloc Quebecois Yves Perron rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 15, 2021. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

The motion is rooted in the context of Chinese history and a decisive turn in the Chinese Civil War of 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gained control of mainland China and established the People’s Republic of China (PRC), replacing the Republic of China (ROC) led by the Nationalist government. Following this defeat, the Nationalist government retreated to the island of Taiwan, where it continues to use the name “Republic of China” as its official state title.

Most countries did not immediately recognize the PRC at the time of its establishment, due in part to Cold War dynamics and opposition to communism. The ROC continued to hold one of the five permanent seats on the UN Security Council until 1971, when UN Resolution 2758 was passed.

The resolution recognized PRC representatives as the “only lawful representatives of China” to the United Nations, thereby removing the ROC government’s representation and expelling it from the UN and its affiliated agencies. However, the resolution did not establish Taiwan as part of the PRC, nor did it address Taiwan’s international status.

‘Manipulating Meaning’

MPs’ rejection of the PRC’s claim over Taiwan follows a recent statement by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the UN General Assembly in September, in which he claimed that UN Resolution 2758 recognizes only one Chinese government and that Beijing is committed to “reunifying” Taiwan.

The CCP has threatened to use military force to achieve its goal of controlling Taiwan and has repeatedly deployed military aircraft into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone and naval vessels into nearby waters.

China has ramped up its military actions since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration on May 20. Beijing conducted “punitive drills” around the island, according to Harry Ho-jen Tseng, Taiwan’s representative to Canada, who testified before the House defence committee on Sept. 26.

“Since then, Chinese warplanes and warships have been intruding into our ADIZ and nearby waters, sometimes crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait—a provocative move equally familiar to our neighbouring countries,” Tseng said.

Perron condemned Bejing’s exploiting of the UN resolution to justify its aggressive actions towards the democratic island.

“China is manipulating the meaning of this [UN Resolution] to legitimize its military actions in Taiwan’s airspace and territorial waters,” Perron wrote in a French statement as a caption on YouTube, where he shared a video of his presentation of the motion in the House.

“In short, [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping is using [the UN resolution] to endorse his intimidation and claim that Taiwan belongs to him,” he added.

A Chinese J-11 military fighter jet flies above the Taiwan Strait near Pingtan, the closest land of mainland China to the island of Taiwan, in Pingtan in southeastern China's Fujian Province, on Aug. 5, 2022. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

Independent MP Kevin Vuong echoed the view. “It’s time for Taiwan to take its rightful place on the world stage as an equal partner & thriving democracy,” he said on the social media platform X.

Canada is not the only country to reject Beijing’s use of the resolution to assert its claim over Taiwan. In August, the Australian Senate passed a similar motion, led by Senators David Fawcett and Deborah O’Neill.

While Taiwan currently maintains official diplomatic relations with just 12 countries, it has robust trade, cultural, and unofficial ties with Canada and many countries around the world.

Citing Canada’s growing economic, cultural, and interpersonal ties with Taiwan, Perron said, “We continue to join our voice with our partners to support the meaningful participation of Taiwan in international organizations,” such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization.