Give Taiwan standing at UN Security Council

Climate change, Ukraine war top agenda at global summit, Sept. 21

Prime Minister Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s UN Security Council addresses underscore the imperative of safeguarding democratic values, human rights, and peaceful conflict resolution while preventing power abuses and fostering international collaboration. Nonetheless, it’s vital to spotlight the UN’s inconsistency in handling Taiwan’s participation.

China’s obstruction of Taiwan’s UN involvement raises questions about the UN’s fidelity to peaceful conflict resolution and human rights. China’s denial of Taiwan’s voice in global discussions directly or indirectly affecting its people is concerning. The Ukraine and Taiwan issues reveal autocratic regimes undermining global norms and UN principles. Although differing in specifics, they both expose authoritarian governments flouting established UN Charter principles.

Permitting Taiwan’s UN engagement would signify the international community’s unwavering commitment to upholding these principles and holding autocratic regimes accountable. It would exemplify the UN’s dedication to inclusivity, ensuring that all nations, regardless of political status, have a platform for peaceful dialogue and co-operation.

Taiwan continues to be excluded from the UN due to China’s distortion of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. This resolution neither states that Taiwan is a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) nor gives China the right to represent the people of Taiwan in the UN and its specialized agencies.

The subsequent misrepresentation of Resolution 2758 contradicts the basic principles upheld by the UN Charter and must be rectified. A good first step to ameliorate this situation would be to allow Taiwanese individuals and journalists to attend or cover relevant meetings, as well as ensure Taiwan’s substantive inclusion in meetings and mechanisms within the UN system.

Permitting Taiwan’s UN engagement would

signify the international community’s commitment to holding autocratic regimes accountable